Karpal calls for deregistration of race, religion-based parties

DAP Chairman Karpal Singh has called for all race and religion-based political parties or associations to be deregistered or opened to everyone regardless of either criteria.

"The time has come for all racial parties to be deregistered, including PAS unfortunately. We have to be practical if we want a united country.

"It's very dangerous to allow political parties and professional organisations which are based on race or religion," he told a press conference Tuesday.

He was lashing out at the statement by Muslim Lawyers Association president Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar for allegedly threatening the Bar Council if it supported The Herald in relation to the ban on using the word Allah.

He said the Association itself should not have been allowed to register in view of the Bar Council being open to all lawyers regardless of their religion.

"Such associations are just trouble makers. The government should not allow them to operate," he said.