Anti-discrimination law won’t overcome entrenched systems, says Ramasamy

FMT:

 

Anti-discrimination law

won’t overcome

entrenched systems, says

Ramasamy

FMT Reporters

-19 Feb 2025, 10:36 AM

The former DAP MP says discrimination also lies in ‘the political and social systems that fuel them’.

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Former DAP MP P Ramasamy said politicians tend to reinforce racial systems rather than challenge them.

PETALING JAYA: 

A former MP from DAP has poured cold water on the idea of an anti-racial discrimination law, saying it would not overcome Malaysia’s entrenched racial and religious systems.

In a statement, P Ramasamy said discrimination did not lie solely in racial slurs, but also in the political and social systems that fuel them.

“While the authorities may denounce these slurs, they are symptoms of a system inherited from the past and likely to persist into the future.

“Unfortunately, politicians tend to reinforce these racial systems rather than challenge them because maintaining them often ensures political power,” he said.

Ramasamy, who was the MP for Batu Kawan for a term, also said that the proposed legislation would face significant opposition from “those who benefit from prolonging the apartheid nature of the racial religious system”.

DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng had proposed the enactment of an anti-racial discrimination act in light of racial issues involving political figures and extremists, citing a recent incident involving a hawker in Sepang.

The corn seller sparked controversy by displaying a sign containing a racist slur against Indians and stating that his produce was not for sale to the community. He apologised but has since been arrested by the police.

Lim, the Bagan MP, said such a law was necessary to prevent “extremist politicians or irresponsible individuals” from engaging in hate speech and provocative acts, or spreading lies against a particular community to divide Malaysians.

National unity minister Aaron Ago Dagang however shot down Lim’s proposal, saying an anti-racial discrimination law was unnecessary as there were existing laws to tackle racial and religious offences.

Pengkalan Chepa MP Ahmad Marzuk Shaary of PAS meanwhile said that such a law could heighten racial tensions and might lead to a repeat of the May 13, 1969 racial riots.

Ramasamy, who now leads Urimai, said the proposed legislation was not “fully compatible” with existing policies, both formal and informal, which justify such discrimination.

“Successive governments have shown that the noble principles of affirmative action have been co-opted to legitimise racially biased policies,” he said.