Race Relations Act Won't Solve Problems. Treating All Malaysians Equally Will: Jeffrey Kitingan

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has urged the government to reconsider its move to draw up a Race Relations Act.

He felt that race relations should be nurtured and promoted, not forced through the use of legislation.

He said the more the government enacts laws to force race relations, the more sensitive and problematic it will be to promote good relations among the various races in the country.

“Enacting laws on race relations is, therefore, not the best way to solve racial sensitivities in Malaysia,” said Jeffrey when commenting on a recent statement by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar who said the government would draft a Race Relations Act to safeguard and strengthen relations among the different races in the country.

Syed Hamid said the formulation of the proposed act has been agreed upon by the cabinet, and the task will be headed by the Home Ministry and Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry.

If the government was serious and sincere about solving racial sensitivities, Jeffrey said the best way is to promote the universal concept of social justice and respect by treating all Malaysians equally.

He said this would mean that Malaysia might have to dismantle and do away with racial-based politics and political parties.

Instead, the country would have to promote multi-racialism and the concept of a Malaysian national identity or Malaysian race, he said.

“As long as we continue to politicise race through race-based politics and political parties, no amount of legislation will solve racial problems and sensitivities,” Jeffrey cautioned. (The Borneo Post)

***** As long as Umno leads the country there will be absolutely no way of improving race relations because it is in the interest of that corrupt party to maintain hostility between the different ethnic groups.

However we can all make a genuine effort to unite the nation by joining hands and helping in booting out the racist bigots who have plagued this country for decades. We don't need a Race Relations Act. We merely need to kick out the racists from continuing in power.