Chairman’s Message university students’ call to abolish the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA), Murum Dam, workers’ rights, refugees and asylum seekers. Recognising the need to redouble its efforts to end human rights violations, the Commission embarked on two new thematic studies, namely ‘Deaths in Police Custody’ and ‘The Right to Health in Prison’. These studies were chosen as a result of complaints received by the Commission over the years. Both studies have presented opportunities for the Commission to examine the issues surrounding deaths in police custody as well as the health conditions in Malaysia’s prisons through the lens of human rights in an in-depth manner. The full reports for both thematic studies containing the Commission’s key findings and recommendations will be published in 2015 and forwarded to the relevant stakeholders for appropriate action. The Commission continued to highlight its concerns about the issue of children in immigration detention to the relevant authorities. As a result of the Commission’s and several civil society organisations’ advocacy efforts, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) set up a Working Group on Alternatives to Detention (ATD) to study and make recommendations with respect to various ATD models. As a member of the Working Group, the Commission played an active role to support the Ministry’s initiative in exploring various models and best practices for ATD. The Commission continued to engage with international and regional human rights mechanisms and bodies, with much focus on raising awareness and participation of all stakeholders in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, especially in light of the adoption of Malaysia’s Second UPR outcome by the Human Rights Council (HRC) in March. This was done through a series of briefing sessions on the UPR across the country. The Commission welcomed the country’s assumption of two high profile international positions namely the membership on the United Nations Security Council and the Chairmanship of ASEAN, and looks forward to working closely with the Government on human rights issues at both regional and international fora in the interest of enhancing the image and credibility of Malaysia as a human rights respecting country. The year also saw the Commission’s continued support for the Government’s development of a National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP) through participation in the latter’s consultations as well as submission of a position paper highlighting the Commission’s concerns and recommendations to YB Puan Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department. As had been repeatedly raised before, the Commission deems it important for the Government to resolve the pressing issues concerning the land rights of Indigenous Peoples in our country. The Commission noted that the National Task Force, which was established by the Government to study its National Inquiry Report on the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples (NI Report), had submitted its report to the Minister on 10 September 2014. Pending further update on the matter, the Commission reiterates its call for the Government to treat the matter with urgency and to ensure early and effective implementation of the recommendations contained in the Commission’s NI Report in the interest of ameliorating the plight of the Indigenous Peoples who have high hopes and expectations on the outcome of the National Inquiry. 3