cheahsoonhai

Gerakan supports multiracialism

Cheah Soon Hai: Amend party constitution to enable other races to become members

 
 

 
 

Press statement by

Gerakan Deputy President

Dr Cheah Soon Hai

 
 

 
 

7 November 2013

 
 

 
 

With regards to the recent call made by Karpal Singh that race and religion based parties should be deregistered and move towards a multiracialism has brought Gerakan's Deputy President, Dr Cheah Soon Hai to agree with him. However, parties should not be forcefully deregistered. Instead, current parties should be given a chance to change while future parties should be encouraged to embrace multiracialism.

 

 
 

Dr Cheah pointed out, single race or religion based parties can amend their respective constitutions to provide an opportunity for other races to join instead of dissolving. Taking UMNO as an example, he said that the party has already opened its doors to other races such as Kedah and Kelantan Siamese, Sabah Kadazans and Eurasians from Malacca. Therefore, other parties can take heed of UMNO's move by allowing other races to participate instead of merely disbanding.

 
 

 

"We understand that many of these parties have a long history with sentimental values. At the same time, the act of deregistering these parties might trigger sensitivities regarding its assets. Therefore, parties can amend their constitution such as from United Malays National Organisation to United Malaysian National Organisation.

 

 
 

Dr Cheah continued many race or religion based party leaders when fighting for their respective interests, tend to bring up racial or religious topics and at the same time uttering racial statements, causing unnecessary tension which is not right. Our country has been independent for 56 years and in an ever changing era, transforming race based parties is the appropriate move. He believed that this move will benefit the country in the future.

 

 
 

"I however disagree with Karpal Singh's call for race or religion based associations to be abolished for the sake of multiracial path. Public associations are independent without any political background therefore it is unnecessary for them to dissolve. At the same time, attempt to forcefully deregister these associations is against the freedom to associate as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Take religion as an example, Buddhism and Christianity have their own ideology and faith. It is not possible to combine both of them into a single association for they need to spread their own religion."

 

 
 

He stressed that for over 40 years, Gerakan has been promoting multiracialism. Now is the time to move towards multiracial party. He urged all BN component party members to be ready to make sacrifices and put the 1Malaysia concept into practice or else it is pointless for the country to reform.

 

 
 

Dr Cheah then hoped that all national issues will be looked and solved from a Malaysian perspective instead of through the racial lens or for one's own community interest which is also what Gerakan has been fighting for all these years.