“I am not a racist”, says ex-Chief Judge

(NST) – Former Chief Judge Tun Hamid Mohamad said he has been unfairly branded a racist for wanting to uphold the Federal Constitution.

Speaking to reporters before the handing over of a Memorandum on National Unity to Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Hamid denied he was a racist.

Hamid, who gave advice on legal issues highlighted in the memorandum, said that he only wanted everyone to stay true to the Constitution.

“There are people who want to take away the rights of the Malays and Bumiputras enshrined in the constitution,” he said, especially in relation to the position of Islam and the Syariah court.

“If our rights can be questioned, what about the rights of others? If people say there should be a review of those rights, then we should review the whole constitution,” said Hamid who clarified that he did not belong to any Malay rights group.

The 95-page memorandum is produced by a coalition of 62 Malay non-governmental organisations and contains 54 proposals pertaining to the nation’s constitution, socio-economy and religion.

The coalition, represented by leaders of 12 NGOs led by the convention’s chairman Datuk Azih Muda, handed over the memorandum to Muhyiddin at his Putrajaya residence.

Also present were Perkasa president, Datuk Ibrahim Ali, as well as former MARA chairman Datuk Ruhanie Ahmad.