KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Civil rights lawyer Syahredzan Johan yesterday described the rally against a United Nations convention of racial equality that was held without any incident as a sign of Malaysia Baharu.
In praising police and organisers behind the protest against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Syahredzan said a new Malaysia is not when the victorious can demonstrate without any interference, but when the one that is opposing is allowed to demonstrate without any intervention.
“The way the rally was conducted yesterday shows Malaysia is a country where the people is free to exercise their rights.
“The government had not only allowed for a street demonstration to be held but also facilitated and wished the demonstrators well,” he said.
Syahredzan said he had in the past observed street demonstration such as Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0 where rally participants were arrested, where authorities used tear gas to disperse the crowd, he also recollected how as a lawyer he had waited for hours to be allowed to visit the arrested demonstrators.
“When I saw pictures of the anti-ICERD rally where the demonstrators were allowed into the city without any obstacles and on top of it being facilitated by the police, I felt very satisfied.
“Not because I support the anti-ICERD rally but because I respect the rights to participate in a street rally which is in the Federal Constitution,” he said.
The anti-ICERD protest in Dataran Merdeka which was organised by Malay-Muslim groups, Umno, and PAS, ran without incident.
Police said 55,000 people turned up at the rally that was organised by Malay-Muslim groups, Umno, and PAS.
Even though the Pakatan Harapan government announced it would not ratify ICERD, organisers went ahead with the protest.
Organisers had targeted half a million demonstrators for their mega protest.
