Selangor speaker urges govt to expedite drafting of National Harmony Act
SUNGAI BULOH : The government should expedite drafting the National Harmony Act, following calls from the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for a legislative framework to tackle hate speech and discrimination, says Selangor speaker Lau Weng San.
'I have been informed that the national unity ministry has begun the drafting process.
'I support Suhakam's calls for this act. We need to harmonise it with the current laws in the Federal Constitution. This is much needed to curb hate speech.
'We also need to table a bill to set up a national harmony commission that will have the legal power to enforce laws and punish those who threaten national harmony but without going against the right to freedom of speech,' he said.
Lau said this at an event commemorating the 56th anniversary of the May 13 racial riots at a cemetery for the victims of the tragic event, here.
On May 3, Suhakam called for the introduction of a National Harmony Act, aimed at fostering mutual respect, promoting inclusivity and protecting all communities from hate speech, incitement and discrimination.
The commission said this following the publication of the Malaysia Racism Report 2024 by Pusat Komas, which reported a 'visible' increase in racial discrimination and xenophobia in Malaysia, with 73 such cases recorded last year.
Tan Choong Cheng, chairman of The Friends of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Heritage Association (Pesawa), also urged the government to declassify official documents related to the riots.
He suggested the government establish an official 'May 13 truth and reconciliation committee' to restore historical accuracy and encourage dialogues between archivists and the victims' families.
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Meanwhile, academic Tajuddin Rasdi suggested that May 13 be made a public holiday and a memorial site for the victims be built at the cemetery.
He said official narratives of the tragedy should be objective to ensure the nation can learn from history and prevent the recurrence of such riots.
'We shouldn't blame each other for this tragedy like what (some of the) politicians are doing. It's better that we build a narrative that will hold every party accountable,' he said.
On May 13, 1969, racial riots broke out in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and several other towns across Peninsular Malaysia following heated parades that took place after a general election.
Official records say 143 Chinese, 25 Malays, 13 Indians and 15 others were killed in the riots, with over 400 injured. Unofficial accounts suggest a higher number of Chinese fatalities.
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