SHAH ALAM, 5 Oct: Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) has called upon the United Nations (UM) to not turn a blind eye to the issue of fundamental human rights in Malaysia following the amendment to the Prevention of Crime Act (Amendment and Extension) 2013 (PCA) which allows for preventive detention without trial.
Suaram Executive Director, Nalini Elumalai, said that she has urged the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Madamme Navanethem Pillay, to evaluate the amendment to the PCA in the UN’s report on Malaysia.
Nalini said, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak broke his election promise to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) by reintroducing detention without trial through the recent amendment to the PCA.
“SUARAM is concerned that human rights in Malaysia remain under serious threat as the government severely limits the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association while permitting detention without trial, ignoring police brutality and compromising the rights of indigenous peoples and minority groups,” said Nalini.
Nalini said this in an open letter by Suaram which was sent to Ban Ki Moon and Madamme Navanethem Pillay, and it was published on Suaram’s Facebook page.
She said, Suaram condemns the unacceptable human rights violations taking place in Malaysia and calls on the international community to urge Najib to immediately stop the harassment and intimidation of democracy activists and human rights defenders.
“The United Nations has an obligation to ensure democracy and human rights are upheld and not turn a blind eye while supporting the Najib government’s empty rhetoric of reform.
“The Malaysian government must not get away with playing lip service to human rights and democracy in an attempt to retain its position on the UN Human Rights Council,” said Nalini.