KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 31): Malaysia will only ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) after consulting with all races, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"We will sign [the convention] after we have discussed with all races across Malaysia. I have said this before that it (ratification of ICERD) is no easy matter for Malaysia where there are many ethnicities that are sensitive when it comes to certain matters," he told a press conference after launching the National Policy on Industry 4.0 today.

The premier took a jibe at those Malays that remained lazy and uneducated and yet concerned about the deterioration of Malay supremacy or 'ketuanan Melayu' if the convention is ratified by the government.

"[However,] I want to tell the Malays that there is no point talking about ketuanan Melayu if you remain working as a coolie for others.

"You want to be a tuan (chief)? You can, but you need to have knowledge, be hardworking, be good, and not cheat or steal. Do not follow the example of the previous prime minister," he added, referring to Datuk Seri Najib Razak who has been charged with 25 counts of graft and money laundering relating to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd financial scandal.

ICERD is one of several United Nations convention meant to serve as a human rights instrument.

It is understood that Malaysia has already signed three of such conventions namely the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Including ICERD, it has six other treaties to ratify, which Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P. Waytha Moorthy said on Oct 24 that the government has committed to do so by the first quarter of 2019.

On Oct 29, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa said Malaysia can ratify ICERD with reservations, meaning to ratify the convention while still adhering to existing laws and provisions under the Federal Constitution — such as the rights of the bumiputera.