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Kelantan Bar committee chairman Datuk Sukri Mohamad

©The Star (Used by permission)

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan People’s Action Council (MTRK) has questioned the move by the Bar Council to host a forum on the social contract now.

MTRK president Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali said there should no longer be a debate over social contract and special privileges of the Malays as they were enshrined in Articles 152 and 153 of the Federal Constitution.

He was commenting on the council’s “Social Contract” forum scheduled for today at its auditorium in Kuala Lumpur that will hear from constitutional lawyer Tommy Thomas, academic Dr Mavis Puthucheary and political scientists Dr Kua Kia Soong and Dr Farish Noor.

Kelantan Bar committee chairman Datuk Sukri Mohamad – who said he was expressing his personal view – called for a postponement of the forum or a re-phrasing of the topic.

Kelantan PAS secretary Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan also expressed unease over the forum, saying that the issue of social contract and Malay rights are enshrined in the constitution.

Bar council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said the three were entitled to their views and asked them to attend the forum to make known their views.

“I believe we are a mature enough society to discuss these issues openly and responsibly. In any event, the issue of the social contract was discussed not too long ago in the media,” she said.

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written by Andrew Khoo Chin Hock, June 29, 2008

Kudos to the gentleman who flew all the way from Kelantan to attend the Social Contract forum. And thanks possibly to the last-minute controversy more than 200 people (on my count) showed up to hear very erudite and thought-provoking presentations from all 4 speakers. The question time that followed was equally engaging and not without controversy itself, with Dr. Farish Noor saying some provocative things in very good Kelantanese Malay, and getting lectured back by some members of the floor.

Thank you to the organisers, who once again proved that Malaysians ARE able to discuss and debate such a topic with courtesy and civility yet with candour and the courage of their convictions. Shame on those who would have us believe otherwise. They need to grow up themselves.

Andrew Khoo Chin Hock