PUTRAJAYA – Unperturbed by the nationwide blanket ban, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad showed no hesitations to continue speaking on matters of race, arguing such restriction implies an exaggerated concentration of legal power by the government.
In an exclusive interview in Sinar Daily’s Fireside Chat, the former prime minister was adamant in pointing out the error in the present administration’s decision to stifle the people from discussing issues relating to race, religion, and the royal institution.
"I think this is totally wrong,” stressed the 98-year-old.
Deeming it as "a very drastic action”, he pointed out that rendering of the issues – dubbed as 3R (race, religion, and royalty) – as off-limits to the public, needed to be done through the Parliament.
"Parliament must decide to make it into a law, then of course the people will know that this is a decision in Parliament but in this case, he never brought it to Parliament.
"It was simple a statement made by the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), as if he is in total control of the laws of this country. He is not.
"In this country, laws are made by Parliament. Laws are not made by the Prime Minister,” he remarked, sternly.
Further illustrating the contradictory nature of the blanket gag-order on 3R issues, Mahathir explained that even Malaysia’s Federal Constitution itself mentioned matters of racial and religion.
He argued that because such matters were etched in the Federal Constitution, then it was essentially not wrong for the public to talk and discuss about such matters.
"If we go and provoke other races, then that should be stopped but this is so general that you cannot even talk about it at all. It is very undemocratic.
"I don’t know why they should be scared but it is totally undemocratic to use such a total ban just because they are frightened of something,” Mahathir stressed.