Lawmakers back call to outlaw racism

Reports by MARTIN CARVALHO, RAHIMY RAHIM and TARRENCE TAN 

LAWMAKERS from both sides of the aisle have supported the call to introduce laws to outlaw racism following a fracas that occurred near Universiti Malaya (UM) last Friday.

Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor) asked the government whether it was willing to enact legislation to outlaw and criminalise acts of racism.

“Last year, a minister mentioned that a few laws would be introduced to address the issue.

“This move must be hastened,” he said while debating the motion of thanks on the Royal Address.

He said Parliament was the best platform to raise the issue of racism and discuss ways to stop it.

“The Dewan Rakyat should be the best place to create legislation outlawing it,” he said.

The proposal received support from both Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (BN-­Pontian) and Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-­Kinabatangan), who openly shouted, “I agree.”

It was reported that during the incident, a group of students had demonstrated across the street of a restaurant near UM where former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was giving a talk.

The students were allegedly manhandled by the former prime minister’s supporters.

A videoclip of the scuffle showed Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam allegedly accosting the students involved in the rally.

Ramkarpal said the students held a peaceful assembly at the vicinity of UM to express their views against Najib.

He said that some people argued that the students were being insensitive.

But, he said, violent acts were committed and the incident of the people involved was recorded.

“The incident went viral, we have videos and photos of what transpired.

“Is this something really hard for the authorities to address?” he said, and asked why those involved were not being tracked down.

Ahmad Maslan said it was unfair for the students to describe Najib as a perompak (thief).

“I would like to ask in which court in the country was Najib sentenced as a thief?” he asked.

Kasthuri Patto (PH-Batu Kawan) claimed that female journalists who covered the incident were also harassed.

“Not just students were harassed, but also the journalists,” she said.