Putrajaya has no plans to formulate anti-racism or anti-discrimination acts as the government feels law enforcement will not be the best way to unite the nation’s multiracial community.

Such laws are not needed as the unity in the country is at a good and controlled level, the Prime Minister's Department (JPM) said in a parliamentary reply released yesterday.

"The government has never discussed the formulation of an Anti-Racism Act or an Anti-Discrimination Act in order to maintain the security and unity of the multiracial (communities) in the country.

"We opine that the efforts taken to unite the multiracial (communities) should be based on education, instead of law enforcement.

"The government will not use the law arbitrarily to unite people of all ethnic groups. Instead, society should be educated from childhood," JPM said in the reply.

The department also stated that there should not be any compulsion in inculcating unity among Malaysians.

The reply to Parliament came in response to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), who asked the prime minister whether the government intended to formulate such laws to foster greater unity.

Despite no new laws being planned, JPM said, however, the government could strengthen existing laws to curb racism and discrimination.

The department also underlined five steps to aid in the creation of a united "Bangsa Malaysia," which include upholding the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara as the basis of statehood; implementing policies and programmes to eliminate poverty; and encouraging interaction and integration among ethnic groups at workplaces, schools and residential areas.

JPM also mooted the establishment of mechanisms for multicultural and multi-religious bodies to communicate, as well as persuading politicians against politicising religious and racial issues.