BN secretary-general Nazri Abdul Aziz will not be attending this Saturday's gathering in Kuala Lumpur related to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd).

The Umno lawmaker said this was because he was satisfied with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's decision not to ratify the convention, which detractors claimed would affect the special rights of the Malays and the position of Islam.

"I won't attend. I'm very focused on what I want from the government - that is to retract the decision to ratify. They have done that. I'm satisfied.

"If we can't believe the prime minister then who can we believe?" he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

However, the Padang Rengas MP said his decision not to attend the gathering is his own personal stance.

The gathering, which has sparked concerns of possible racial tension, has received support from both Umno and PAS' top leaders.

Originally planned as a protest to pressure the government against ratifying Icerd, the gathering has now been dubbed a "celebration" of Putrajaya's decision.

Earlier, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stressed that the gathering is not aimed at fanning racial sentiments.

Various quarters, including Kelantan Mufti Mohamad Shukri Mohamad and Penang Mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor, have advised against holding the gathering.

The gathering comes in the wake of the riots with regard to the location of a Hindu temple in Subang Jaya last week.

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