Enact Racial Hatred Act to replace ISA

The federal government should enact a Racial Hatred Act and Racial Discrimination Act to replace the Internal Security Act (ISA) and Sedition Act, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

A Racial Hatred Act, like the ones in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, is sufficient to ensure that nobody uses race to make offensive remarks, he said.

Lim said Pakatan Rakyat the Penang government are against the use of the ISA.

"We oppose the use of ISA on anyone even on Perkasa chairman Datuk Ibrahim Ali and it should be abolished," he said today.

While the state administration is against the racist views and extremism demonstrated by Ibrahim, Lim said the ISA is not to be used on him.

"There are other laws and the government should consider introducing a Racial Hatred Act to replace the ISA," he said.

Lim also called on Umno to withdraw its support for Perkasa if the government is serious about taking actions against racist views.

He was commenting on warnings by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein that if Ibrahim made remarks that are a threat to national security, he will be in serious trouble, including detention under the ISA.

On an unrelated matter, Lim slammed Penang Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for making false allegations that the state government had taken over village lands for re-development.

"It is not true as the state government did not take over any villages for development," he said.
Lim said only some had to make way for construction of roads and schools, which are under the federal government.

He said Dr Ahmad Zahid should not confuse the development of private land by private companies with that of the state government.

The Sun

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