malaysiakini logo
story-image
mk-logo
From Our Readers
Time for a new era of human rights and policy reforms
ADS

LETTER | Amnesty International Malaysia would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Malaysian people and the Pakatan Harapan election candidate winners for successfully establishing a new Malaysian government that has since been working on establishing policy and governance reforms in the last 30 days.

Amnesty International Malaysia welcomes the new Malaysian government and we applaud some of the immediate human rights reform such as the as the lift on Zunar’s travel ban.

We look at this as a step in the right direction, but there is still much to do in the Malaysian human rights landscape especially in reference to the 8-Point Human Rights Agenda published by Amnesty International before May 9 polling day.

In April, Amnesty International released an 8-Point Human Rights Agenda for GE14 candidates ahead of the polls urging MP candidates to put human rights reforms at the forefront of their campaigns and work on implementing them if they win their seat.

The document outlines eight human rights concerns for action: respect and protect freedom of expression; ensure freedom of association and assembly; respect the freedom of movement; abolish the death penalty; prevent deaths in custody, torture and other ill-treatment, protecting asylum seekers and refugees; respect and protect the rights of LGBTI people; and recognise indigenous peoples’ rights.

According to their campaign manifesto, Harapan has promised to repeal archaic laws such as the Sedition Act 1945, review the Communications And Multimedia Act 1998, and the Anti Fake news Act 2018, abolishing the mandatory death penalty, protecting the rights of refugees and upholding the rights of indigenous people.

These are some significant points that are parallel with Amnesty International’s Human Rights Agenda. We are hopeful that we will see significant changes and reforms in this area as we hear of public statements made about them by newly appointed ministers over the span on this one month.

The manifesto included also highlights the new government’s commitment to ratify several United Nations conventions. This opens an opportunity for Malaysia to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture which will prevent future cases of deaths in custody, torture and other ill-treatment, as well as the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees to further protect the rights of refugees in the country.

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yasin said in a statement on May 22 that the Malaysian government is looking to abolish the mandatory death sentence, Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, Sedition Act 1948, and several other controversial acts in the near future.

Although the organisation urges the Malaysian government to abolish the death sentence for all crimes, Amnesty International Malaysia welcomes the Home Minister’s statement in abolishing the mandatory death sentence as a first step to total abolition in the future.

We are ready to engage and work with the government in aiding this process.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases and under any circumstances, regardless of the nature of the crime, the characteristics of the offender, or the method used by the state to carry out the execution.

The organisation considers the death penalty a violation of the right to life as recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

Amnesty International Malaysia urges the new Malaysian government to be committed to their promises as made in their manifesto and will continue to have discussions on other points listed in the human rights agenda document, including abolishing the death penalty for all crimes, and in respecting and protecting the rights of LGBTI people.

Amnesty International Malaysia is looking forward to work with the Malaysian government in consulting and facilitating policy and legislation reforms to uphold human rights in Malaysia, and set the nation as a benchmark for human rights reforms.


The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

View Comments