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SUHAKAM
The Parliamentarians picked up on a number of issues highlighted
by the Annual Report, including children’s rights, women’s rights,
equality and non-discrimination, poverty, statelessness, refugees
and asylum seekers, persons with disabilities, workers, LGBT, victims
of human trafficking, Orang Asli/Asal and their land rights, victims of
enforced disappearances, security laws, SUHAKAM’s involvement in
law reform and advisory role, SUHAKAM’s investigations, inquiries and
reports, and the strengthening of its structure to comply fully with the
Paris Principles.
It is also extremely encouraging to hear that many Parliamentarians
believe SUHAKAM should be fully supported, funded and empowered to
effectively execute its mandate as an independent national human
rights institution (NHRI).
In recognising the critical nature of the improvement of the rights of children
in Malaysia, SUHAKAM also welcomed the appointment of Malaysia’s
first Children’s Commissioner, Prof. Dato’ Noor Aziah Mohd. Awal, whose
work and mandate is fully supported by SUHAKAM.
Our work in investigating complaints of human rights violations was
also in the spotlight in 2019, as SUHAKAM submitted to the government
the report of the Public Inquiries into the Enforced Disappearances
of Pastor Raymond Koh and activist
Amri Che Mat. These inquiries and
subsequent public pressure pushed
SUHAKAM
the government into forming a special
task force to further investigate the
played host to a
enforced disappearances.
contingent from
“
SUHAKAM also conducted a joint
investigation with the NGO Fortify
Rights on the mass graves discovered
in Wang Kelian and made its report
publicly available. Entitled ‘Sold Like
Fish’, it details the findings relating to
the human trafficking camp and its
victims. This led to the formation of a
Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on
Wang Kelian. As of the end of 2019, the
work of the RCI is still in progress.
the Regional
Human Rights
Commission (RHRC)
of the Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region
of the Philippines,
who expressed an
interest in modelling
our structure
and work
”