MCA Youth holdes firm on Article 153 - 馬來西亞

New Straits Times
2008/07/03

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth has lashed out at Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed
Hamid Albar for hinting that action would be taken against the Malaysian Bar
Council for holding a Social Contract Forum last Saturday. Its legal bureau
chief, Gan Ping Sieu, was disappointed with Syed Hamid for saying that the
police could begin investigations if a report was lodged against the Bar
Council for sedition.

"Discussing the process of drafting the Constitution, including its
historical background and reasons, must not be interpreted as questioning the
Malays' special position," he said in a statement yesterday.

He added that no one should object to organisations or bodies which
conducted forums to discuss the Federal Constitution objectively and
rationally, without distorting the facts.

It was reported that speakers at the forum -- lawyer Tommy Thomas, academic
Dr Mavis Puthucheary and political analysts Dr Kua Kia Soong and Dr Farish
Noor -- discussed Article 153 of the Federal Constitution in relation to
Malay rights.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam had also criticised the
forum, saying it was part of the Bar Council's move to suppress and discredit
the Malays and Islam.

Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had called the forum an
"unhealthy" development, adding that the social contract on the position and
rights of the Malays was a historical fact.

Gan, however, argued that the forum was needed because the public had the
right to clearly understand Article 153.

He said the MCA believed that all Malaysians were knowledgeable and mature
enough to openly discuss any matter related to the Constitution.

"Anyone who wants to prevent such forums has actually gone against freedom
of speech as enshrined in the Federal Constitution."

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