KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 — Former chief justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad said today the war against liberalism is far from won, even if conservative Malays succeeded in forcing Putrajaya to withdraw from ratifying a treaty against racial bias.

The former CJ, known for his far-right views, claimed there is no guarantee the government would not ratify the International Convention on the Elimination against Racial Discrimination.

Speaking at a gathering of nativist groups here, he warned the Malays against trusting the administration, calling on them to be vigilant and ready to "fight”.

"Even if the prime minister said they would not ratify ICERD, who is to say he might not U-turn in the future?” He said before some 150 supporters at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

"And even if won’t, who is to say that when he steps down there will be no internal political pressure for the new administration to ratify ICERD in the future?” the former CJ added.

It was an accusation ostensibly aimed at the DAP, the anti-ICERD movement’s chief target even when the predominantly-Chinese party have kept its distance from the issue.

The group claims the Pakatan Harapan component member had masterminded the push to ratify the treaty because it wants to end Malay political rule.

Naturally, DAP leaders dismissed the allegation as a politically-motivated plot to incite Malay anger and rally support behind PAS and Umno.

That did not stop the anti-ICERD movement from bashing DAP at today’s congress, an event initially meant to mobilise support for a planned protest on December 8.

In Abdul Hamid’s speech, the hated party was painted as evil political conspirators.

Attempting to link Lim Guan Eng to the ICERD issue, he suggested the DAP secretary-general has secret plans, but had kept it well-concealed from public eyes.

"Just recently he organised a press conference that was to be attended only by the Chinese press,” the former CJ charged.

"What was he trying to hide? What is it that he wants not the Malays to know?” he added.

Abdul Hamid also claim the campaign for ICERD was part of a wider conspiracy to impose minority rule.

In a racially-tinged accusation made against former Tan Sri Gopal Sri Ram, Abdul Hamid claimed the latter’s appointment as Federal Court judge was meant to interfere with the legislative body.

Gopal was alleged to have made a ruling that would have prevented Parliament from amending the Federal Constitution, which Abdul Hamid suggested was a means to block any amendments that could have consolidated Malay political rule.

The former CJ also claimed Gopal’s appointment was made possible due to his close ties with then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, now back in power.

"This Indian... because he was so conniving at buttressing Mahathir, he was (made a judge),” he said.

"He made a ruling that would have prevented Parliament from amending the Federal Constitution.

"The court is telling Parliament it cannot amend the Constitution. This was an encroachment into the separation of powers,” he added.

Putrajaya announced yesterday that it would not ratify the ICERD after weeks of protest from mostly conservative Malays who threatened unrest if the treaty were to be signed.