Chapter 1 - Report of the Education and Public Relations Group (a) Human Trafficking A participant queried the status of complaints he had lodged with the Commission since 2008 on alleged misuse of power by the police force and Immigration Department in human trafficking cases. The Commission provided the assurance that all complaints were given equal attention. (b) Preventive Detention Laws The Commission had an interesting discussion with a representative of the police force over the latter’s support for a proposal to reinstate the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance (EO) to curb the crime rate. The Commission reiterated its objection to the proposal as the EO had allowed for detention without trial, which goes against basic human rights principles. The Commission deemed any such reinstatement as a retrogressive step in the country’s human rights record. The Commission further flagged the urgent need for the police force to emulate best practices in crime prevention by learning, for example, from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Scotland Yard, Interpol, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Victoria Police. The Commission reiterated its call to the Government to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 and to replace it with a National Harmony Act. It expressed the hope that this would be drafted in accordance with fundamental human rights principles. The Commission reiterated its call to the Government to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 and to replace it with a National Harmony Act. It expressed the hope that this would be drafted in accordance with fundamental human rights principles. (c) Implementation of CEDAW in Malaysia The Commission shared a participant’s concern on the Government’s progress in submitting Malaysia’s combined 3rd and 4th State Periodic Report to the CEDAW Committee for review of national implementation of the Convention. In stating that it had not received a copy of the State Report, the Commission also informed the floor that it was preparing its own report to be submitted to the CEDAW Committee in due course. The Commission also took cognizance of the need to ensure the Government’s timely submission of the State Periodic Report. (d) Progress on NHRAP A participant commented on the Government’s slow progress in developing the NHRAP and called on the Commission to play a more proactive role to move this forward. The Commission pledged to work closely on this with YB Senator Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department. 29