Pusat KOMAS management and staff congratulate Mr Jerald Joseph, Board member of Pusat KOMAS on his appointment as a Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) for the term 2016-2019.
The appointment of members of independent civil society organisations to the country’s human rights commission is definitely a step in the right direction towards achieving genuine human rights for all in Malaysia.
Mr. Jerald Joseph
Mr Jerald serves as Pusat KOMAS board of director. He has been involved in human rights work for 20 years since 1995 and has in-depth knowledge and experiences on human rights issues in Malaysia as well as other countries especially in Asia and Africa.
Jerald holds a Master degree in human rights from the Mahidol University of Thailand and has also served as the International Director (2010-2013) of Dignity International, an international human rights organisation advocating and supporting the empowerment of communities living in poverty and exclusion to claim their human rights and have access to social justice. In 2015, Jerald was awarded the SUHAKAM National human rights award.
It is without a doubt that his appointment as a SUHAKAM Commissioner would greatly contribute to the enhancement of human rights in Malaysia.
Press Statement by SUHAKAM
We also take this opportunity to congratulate all the other newly appointed commissioners as well led by Tan Sri Razali bin Ismail. We truly hope the newly appointed Suhakam Commissioners for the term 2016-19 will genuinely uphold and protect the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Malaysian Federal Constitution.
Pusat KOMAS continues to strongly express our opposition to anti human right laws such as the Sedition Act, Peaceful Assembly Act and other laws which are especially used to supress the work of civil society organisations and opposition politicians in the country.
We also hope the Government of the day will respect and ensure the independence of SUHAKAM Commissioners to speak and act without fear or favour for human rights.
We look forward to SUHAKAM as the country’s human right commission to be more independent and continue to intensely engage stakeholders such as civil society organisations, opposition politicians and others in addressing urgent issues in the country.
It is only through open discourses and proactive efforts in addressing human rights issues in the country that Malaysia can proudly stand with others in the universal community of human rights.
Prepared by,
Tan Jo Hann and Anna Har
Board of Directors of PUSAT KOMAS