Hindraf launches global e-Petition against racism

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti has launched a global cyber e-Petition against Malaysia’s perceived racism.

The London-based Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy said they are targeting some 100,000 people worldwide to be signatories of the petition, which would be forwarded to relevant international bodies and governments, including the US government and the European Parliament.

“We want to raise awareness and call on all Malaysians to join force with Hindraf to fight and eliminate racism in the country,” he told FMT here today.

The e-Petition’s main demand is for Putrajaya to repeal Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, which Waythamoorthy claims was the “mother” of all Malaysian racist policies for the past 54 years.

He alleged that Article 153 has been the catalyst to transform Malaysia into a pervasive and increasingly aggressive racist nation, characterised by the doctrine of “Ketuanan Melayu” or Malay supremacy.

He said Article 153 was a brand of apartheid, which ran foul of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.

The petition also calls on the Malaysian government to dismantle all racist policies and provisions, and treat alll Malaysians equally.

It calls on the federal government to take measures to ensure that all contentious matters involving Malaysians of other faiths be adjudicated in civil courts.

The petition also called on Putrajaya to form a royal commission to inquire and report on all racist policies and violations of religious freedom.

The petition wants the United Nations to make representations to Putrajaya on behalf of almost 12.5 million citizens of other faiths to be treated equally with dignity.

The site is available at https://www.change.org/petitions/the-government-of-malaysia-dismantle-all-racist-policies-and-protect-religious-freedom-in-malaysia