US' George Floyd incident a reminder for M'sians on racism - Suhakam
Amid anti-racism protests in the US over the death of 46-year-old African American man George Floyd while being arrested, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) said the incident also serves as a timely reminder for Malaysians.
"Suhakam wishes to express its solidarity with the people of the US during this difficult period and finds it an opportune time to remind Malaysians that ingrained racism, subtle forms of racial discrimination and related intolerance occurs in Malaysia as well.
Amid anti-racism protests in the US over the death of 46-year-old African American man George Floyd while being arrested, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) said the incident also serves as a timely reminder for Malaysians.
"Suhakam wishes to express its solidarity with the people of the US during this difficult period and finds it an opportune time to remind Malaysians that ingrained racism, subtle forms of racial discrimination and related intolerance occur in Malaysia as well.
"Recent incidences include the proliferation of hate speech and racial stereotyping, the politicisation of race issues for personal agendas, as well as targeting refugees and migrant workers in social media attacks and petitions calling for their repatriation," it said in a statement.
Anti-migrant sentiment had worsened following a series of Covid-19 outbreaks which the Health Ministry has partly attributed to the poor living conditions provided to them by employers.
"Rather than debate whether racism exists in Malaysia, perhaps it is time to move beyond the surface of unity and dive deep to undo decades of systematic racial discrimination.
"Suhakam calls for each and every one of us to stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes as racism is morally wrong in principle.
"The ability to look beyond religion, race, descent or place of birth is what we need to cultivate in a multiracial society such as Malaysia," it said.
Suhakam added that racism, xenophobia and intolerance elicit hatred and distrust, precluding attempts to understand the circumstances of those on the receiving end.
"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set out therein, without distinction of any kind, in particular as to race, colour or national origin," it said.
Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota after local police put a knee over his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Floyd, who was handcuffed, had said he couldn't breathe but police did not heed him.
Police had responded to a call alleging that Floyd had purchased cigarettes using a counterfeit US$20 bill.
Derek Chauvin, the police officer who put his knee on Floyd's neck, is facing a murder charge while three other officers have also been charged with abetting him. The four police officers have been fired.
Protesters claim that Floyd's case is just one in a string of incidents where police target African Americans.
What utter rubbish Suhakam, for equating the George Floyd incident to racism in Malaysia. The USA racism is rooted in the landlord-slavery era and that the subject of the racism, the blacks, are perceived to be lazy, slow and stupid. In Malaysia, the subject of the racism, which are the minorities, are neither lazy, stupid nor slow. It is in fact, the opposite. I would argue that the racism in Malaysia is rooted in a self entitlement syndrome which is neither worked for nor respectfully earned that has conversely built a culture of jealousy and blame.
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