Articles

Pusat KOMAS strongly condemns the planned rally by PAS and Bersatu Youth, targeting Ministers YB Nga Kor Ming and YB Hannah Yeoh. The rally, citing the recent organising of a Christmas event at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) and the allegations of Christian proselytization in YB Hannah Yeoh’s autobiography, reflects an alarming attempt to politicize religious and cultural diversity in Malaysia. YB Hannah Yeoh’s autobiography, a personal account of her faith, has been...

Pusat KOMAS strongly condemns the escalation of rhetoric regarding the Christmas celebrations held by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT). The escalation of inflammatory statements from PAS Youth Communications Chief Khairul Nadzir and PAS Secretary-General Takiyuddin Hassan has detracted from the values of unity and mutual respect that Malaysia stands for. The accusations by PAS Youth, which demanded an end to programmes involving Muslims in non-Muslim religious celebrations,...

Pusat KOMAS expresses deep concern and disappointment over the recent police investigation into Teresa Kok, the DAP Vice President, following her remarks on halal certification. While we acknowledge the sensitivities surrounding religious matters in Malaysia, we are deeply troubled by the disproportionate response to Ms. Kok's comments compared to the inflammatory and racist remarks made by Dr. Akmal Saleh, the Head of Umno Youth. Ms. Kok's statements, while critical of the proposed mandatory...

The Coalition of Malaysian NGOs in the Universal Periodic Review Process (COMANGO) congratulates Malaysia on its participation in the Fourth Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review* (UPR) in January 2024, where it received 348 recommendations. The recommendations encompass a range of longstanding and emerging issues on civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights and those pertaining to diverse marginalised groups. Of the 348 recommendations, 182 were accepted while 41 were partially...

Pusat KOMAS lauds the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for his bold announcement to dismantle racial barriers in the education sector and guarantees all SPM scorers with 10As and above a spot in matriculation programmes offered by the Education Ministry. We applaude the announcement as it is the first step towards recognising our top talents by giving them guarantees to pre-university education in Malaysia based on merits rather than race. In the past, the matriculation programme has...

Pusat KOMAS is deeply concerned by the recent eviction of the Bajau Laut community in Semporna, Sabah. The NGO Borneo Komrad claimed that the Bajau Laut community of Semporna was evicted by the authorities and their stilt houses were demolished. According to its founder Mukmin Nantang, the operation was said to have been carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Bajau Laut community living on seven islands in Semporna, including Pulau Bohey Dulang, Pulau Maiga, Pulau Bodgaya, Pulau...

We, Pusat KOMAS, are deeply concerned by the recent protests at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) against the potential inclusion of non-Bumiputera students in selected programmes. While we acknowledge the historical context and intent behind UiTM's establishment, we believe that the current calls to maintain Bumiputera exclusivity in all programs are not in line with the evolving needs of our nation. Malaysia is facing a critical shortage of specialists, particularly in fields like...