Give him a chance – PM on minister's 'all Indian' officers
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P Waythamoorthy should be given a chance to be more inclusive with regard to appointing officers from difference races, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"Give him a chance. He is starting out; the people he knows, he appoints...
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P Waythamoorthy should be given a chance to be more inclusive with regard to appointing officers from difference races, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"Give him a chance. He is starting out; the people he knows, he appoints.
"Most of the people he knows must be from his circle, Hindraf, or from the Indian community," Mahathir said during a press conference after launching the bi-annual Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (Maha) Show 2018 in Serdang.
Mahathir was commenting on complaints in social media that Waythamoorthy, who is the minister in charge of unity, had only appointed Indian Malaysians as his officers.
Among others, questions were raised over the appointments for the positions of senior private secretary, political secretary, special officer, press secretary and private secretary.
Earlier today, Waythamoorthy's aide said the minister does not wish to comment on this issue.
Meanwhile, Mahathir also reiterated his stand that the United Nations' International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd) is an instrument that promotes individual freedom and protects against discrimination.
At the same time, he pointed out that some quarters had insisted it might run contrary to the affirmative action policies provided for under the Federal Constitution.
"Article 153 places some privileges for the people who are pribumi or the indigenous people.
"It gives them some privileges, which means some people might interpret it (Article 153) as being discriminatory against others," said Mahathir when asked for comments on reservations against ratification of Icerd on grounds that it could allegedly threaten the special rights of bumiputeras under Article 153.
Several Umno lawmakers in arguing against Icerd had pointed out that while it provides for the implementation of affirmative action, any such policies should include a timeline of expiration after its objectives have been fulfilled.
Waythamoorthy had on Monday told lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat that Putrajaya would first engage with all stakeholders beginning from the first quarter of next year, before making a final decision on ratification of Icerd.
Malaysia currently ranks among the few Muslim-majority countries which has yet to ratify the human rights instrument.
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