Saifuddin is lying, I was not the leading man for ICERD - Waytha Moorthy

SHAH ALAM - Former unity minister P Waytha Moorthy has denied a claim that he was the “leading minister” handling matters concerning the ratification of an international treaty which had uproared the Malays in the country.

In fact, he accused his former Cabinet-colleague Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah of spewing a “blatant lie” concerning his purported involvement in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

Waytha argued that matters concerning ICERD’s ratification was not under his ministerial portfolio and was instead Saifuddin’s -- who was the then-Foreign Affairs Minister during the now-defunct Pakatan Harapan government.

“It insults the intelligence of ordinary people. Anyone would know being a minister in charge of National Unity and Social wellbeing, how could I take charge of negotiations with the United Nations on Malaysia’s commitment to ratify the International treaty.

“The issue of ICERD erupted because Saifuddin inserted the commitment of Malaysia in the speech Tun Mahathir (the then-Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) delivered at the United Nations general assembly.

“It is a widely known fact that he did that on his own as part of Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto to ratify all remaining UN conventions,” said Waytha.

Saifuddin’s claim, he added, proved that the former was desperate to avoid liability and responsibility over the ensuing mammoth Malay rally that happened on December 18, 2018 following the controversial announcement of Malaysia’s commitment to ratify ICERD.

“He has to grow up and accept his role in convincing Tun Mahathir to deliver Malaysia’s commitment to accept ICERD at the United Nations assembly address,” stressed Waytha.