Minister Aaron Ago Dagang said the national unity consultation council prepared three draft bills in 2015: the racial and religious hate crimes bill, national harmony and reconciliation bill, and national harmony and reconciliation commission bill.
While the other two bills were rejected, he said the national harmony and reconciliation commission bill was agreed on in principle in 2019. However, its implementation was delayed due to overlaps in jurisdiction with the police and Suhakam.
“In April 2020, the government decided not to proceed with the bill.
“However, taking into account current developments and the rise in unity-related polemics that threaten national harmony, the ministry will once again mobilise efforts towards drafting a national harmony and reconciliation commission bill,” he said in a statement.
Aaron said the commission would focus on prevention and reconciliation to resolve issues harmoniously and constructively rather than taking punitive measures only.
He added that this was in line with the best practices in nations like Australia, Singapore and Zimbabwe.
“The ministry seeks to ensure that the commission will be capable of conducting investigations into issues that affect harmony, summoning people to give statements, and recommending follow-up and preventive actions to the government and relevant agencies.
“The commission will also handle official mediation processes and publish public reports, subject to certain limits for the sake of national security,” he said.
The minister added that engagements commenced this month, with sessions involving government agencies, NGOs, political parties, local communities, and other stakeholders.
Last month, the Malaysian Bar called for a “national harmony framework” to handle sensitive disputes through structured legal processes rather than knee-jerk responses.
Bar president Ezri Abdul Wahab said this would provide lawful mechanisms to address tensions related to race, religion, and other societal concerns in a consistent and transparent manner.