Putrajaya has shot down a proposal to establish a truth and reconciliation commission for the May 13, 1969 riots.

In a parliamentary written reply today, de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong stressed that the government would focus instead on strengthening unity as well as the country's economy.

"The report of May 13 tragedy was issued by the National Operations Council (NOC) and it is a document that can be accessed openly.

"The report is complete with all sorts of information and facts related to the tragedy.

"As such, there is no need to establish a truth and reconciliation commission in relation to the May 13 tragedy," he said.

Read more: May 13, never again

Liew (below) was responding to Lim Lip Eng (Harapan-Kepong), who asked if the government was ready to declassify documents on May 13 as well as set up a truth and reconciliation commission.

A day after the 50th anniversary of the riots, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government would study the need to set up such a commission.

To date, the only official document released by the government is the NOC report.

Other records have come from elsewhere, including declassified documents from the British government.