While all allegations of human rights violations receive our equal and undivided attention, SUHAKAM is particularly troubled that non-citizen and stateless children are not legally allowed to receive education at our public schools. I am of the view that segregation in education is possibly one of the worst forms of discrimination, as it deprives children of their right to access quality education on an equal footing with other children to develop their fullest potential. Equally of concern are marriages of children that remain legal although sex with a girl below the age of 16 and sexual offences against children are criminalised. This mind-boggling loophole in the law has led to a situation where children have been forced into marriage to avoid the stigma attached to pre-marital sex and teenage pregnancy, with consequences. Advantage has also been taken to escape criminal liability and rape charges. SUHAKAM is now more than it has ever been firm in our position that marriage before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of human rights that impacts all aspects of a child’s life, particularly girls. SUHAKAM holds the view that marriage is a sacred, religious and public responsibility that requires the ability, spiritual maturity and readiness of both the husband and wife to bear the responsibilities, and such a burden cannot be extended to children. The practice of child marriage further contravenes Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals which Malaysia is committed to. SUHAKAM, in dealing with this situation and on other human rights issues engaged a few religious leaders this year. SUHAKAM acknowledges that the reality of tension between human rights and religion on the one hand, and the importance of reconciliation on the other, requires thoughtful and well-informed engagement of religion because of its strong influence on human belief and behaviour. SUHAKAM is proud to say that this year, contemporary issues of human rights formed part of several Friday Khutbah (Muslim religious sermons) provided by SUHAKAM. I am pleased that through our interactions with Muftis and religious bodies, efforts to abolish the death penalty have gained traction. We hope that bipartisan efforts will, at the same time, intensify to abolish the death penalty with the newly set up Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights for which I wish to congratulate Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamad Nazri Aziz. The starting and ending point for a human rights-based analysis must be that the death penalty is never consistent with fundamental human rights principles and has no place in a modern legal system. I emphasise that its abolition is S U H A K A M A N N U A L R EPOR T 2017 ix C H A I R M A N ’ S R E VI E W government have faced criminal prosecution, giving rise to a wide public and international perception of harassment and politically motivated prosecutions.