KUALA LUMPUR (4 JULY 2024) – SUHAKAM Annual Report and Financial Statement for the year 2021 and 2022 have been tabled and debated on June 27 and 1 and 2 July 2024 in Dewan Rakyat during the Second Meeting of the Third Session of the Fifteenth Parliament (2024). SUHAKAM wishes to convey our utmost appreciation to YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) for her commitment and unwavering effort to strengthen the rule of law of which, under her leadership, SUHAKAM Act amendment has been passed and three Annual Reports (2020, 2021 and 2022) were successfully tabled and debated.
During the debate on the motion of the Annual Reports, a range of pertinent human rights issues were raised by 49 Members of Parliament (MP) among others, the delay on the appointment of SUHAKAM Chairman and the transparent procedure involving the Selection Committee for SUHAKAM Commissioners, racial discrimination, xenophobia, freedom of religion, prison reform, strengthening SUHAKAM and the Office of Children’s Commissioner (OCC) as accorded by the new SUHAKAM Act amendments , Orang Asli/Asal native customary land rights, citizenship, business and human rights as well as economic, cultural and social rights for vulnerable groups.
The debate has also witnessed responses from Ministries on a number of notable issues and the progress as follows:
i. Additional allocation to resolve water supply issues in Kelantan;
ii. Efforts to address issues involving Orang Asli/Asal;
iii. Prison reform which includes extension of the Custodial Health Unit (CHU);
iv. Economic and social protection for marginalised groups;
v. Awareness on mental health and right to access healthcare services;
vi. Cultivating unity towards the elimination of racial discrimination;
vii. Malaysian Media Council Bill to address various issues on media freedom;
viii. Strengthening legislation relating to Islamic religious affairs; and
ix. Government commitment to address humanitarian issues in Palestine.
Special gratitude to YB Tuan M. Kulasegaran A/L V. Murugeson, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) for winding up the debate and his continuous efforts in bringing forward human rights agenda for the common good. SUHAKAM believes that political commitment is important, not only to table the Annual Report but to also debate the human rights issues as this will serve as a platform to share views and concerns over critical human rights issues and most importantly, for the respective Government agencies to intensify their efforts towards the implementation of the proposed recommendations. Addressing human rights issues is always about ensuring equality and accountability, a change that will benefit Malaysia.
SUHAKAM Annual Report 2021 and 2022 consist of six and seven chapters respectively, that provide the details of activities carried out for the year 2021 and 2022 which includes strengthening SUHAKAM’s role and leadership on empowering human rights, business and human rights, advancing the economic, social and cultural rights for vulnerable groups, awareness on children’s rights, addressing statelessness, prison reform, international coordination, law reform, elimination of racial discrimination, combating racism and xenophobia and many other pertinent human rights issues in Malaysia.
To read more about issues reported in SUHAKAM Annual Report and Financial Statement for 2021 and 2022, please visit our website at www.suhakam.org.my.
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Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
4 July 2024
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MS