Selamat Hari Malaysia from Pusat KOMAS! This year will be the 57th year of Malaysia Day – the day that forged the 3 nations into one State of Malaysia. It is on this day we celebrate the formation of this beautiful and...
Pusat KOMAS is amused and shocked with the suggestions of the Ministry of National Unity to conduct a fresh round of consultations with the aim of consolidating opinions of the public for the purpose of strengthening...
The uncalled racist cum sexist slur made by Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, the Baling MP in the parliament sitting yesterday (13th July 2020), by telling the Batu Kawan MP, Kasthuri Patto to apply powder because of her dusky...
25th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 6 General Debate Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of Malaysia Thank you Mr. President, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and Pusat Komas, a member of COMANGO-Coalition of Malaysian NGOs for UPR, an organization which works to promote huamn rights in Malaysia, welcome the UPR Report on Malaysia which includes a number of positive recommendations to create a more enabling environment for civil society....
On the 3rd of July 2013, human rights activist Lena Hendry was arrested for organising a screening of the film '"No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka"' which was not vetted or approved by the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia. If convicted she faces the sentence of a “… fine of not less than five thousand ringgit and not more than thirty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both…” All are welcome to attend this very special panel discussion...
KOMAS staff, Lena Hendry's case today in High Court was postponed to the 26th February 2014 because the Deputy Public Prosecutor requested for more time to look into the submission/arguments. Our lawyers Edmund Bon Tai Soon assisted by New Sin Yew and Joshua presented their arguments on why the case should be striked out. The arguments were based on the fact that 1) It is a violation of our constitutional right 2) The act itself poses a total prohibition of the rights to freedom of speech and...
The charging of Lena Hendry in September 2013 by the Malaysia government is seen as an effort to limit access to information and alternative views particularly those highlighting human rights violations and alternative perspectives. This violates individual, civil society and public rights to information, opinion and expression. The constitution stands as the highest law in the country and any law or act in the country cannot superceed the constitution. However, by using the censorship act to...
As a member of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva from 2011 to 2013, Malaysia had plenty of opportunities to hear serious allegations of systematic army abuses in the final days of the civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Ultimately, a commission appointed by the UN Secretary-General determined that up to 40,000 civilians died in the last months of the fighting, and Britain’s ITN Channel 4 brought the brutal final days into high definition with its searing...
Our lawyers filed an application in High Court last year to strike out the charges against Lena Hendry. The case now will be heard in High Court on the 6th of February. Please show your support by attending the hearing Date: 6th February 2013 Time: 9am Place: Duta High Court Specific Court: KL Criminal High Court 2 Judge: Kamardin Hashim J Background: Lena Hendry was charged for an offence under the Film Censorship Act 2002, in connection with the screening of a video which was not vetted and...
Dear All, Please do come and join us for this forum jointly co-organized by Pusat KOMAS, Community Action Network (CAN) and Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) Please pass the word out and invite friends to join in. Forum “Freedom of Religions in Malaysia : We Live in Peace and Harmony” Speakers : 1. YB Khalid Abdul Samad (PAS MP for Shah Alam) 2. Dr. Ahmad Farouk Musa ( Islamic Renaissance Front) 3. Rev Hermen Shastri (Council of Churches Malaysia) 4. ...
New information MYS 001 / 0713 / OBS 064.3 Judicial harassment Malaysia November 7, 2013 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Malaysia. New information: The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the ongoing judicial harassment...
Press release: The Coalition of Malaysian NGOs for the UPR Process (COMANGO), Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) and the Bar Council through its Human Rights Committee concur with Dato’ Ho May Yong, Deputy Secretary-General, Multilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and head of the government delegation to the Universal Periodic Review of Malaysia: much more attention and action is needed on human rights in Malaysia. At the 2nd Universal Periodic Review of Malaysia, which was...
It is indeed very troubling to note several very upsetting incidents touching on ethnic and religious issues that happened in Malaysia over the past few weeks. The controversial court verdict on the using of the word “Allah” by Non- Muslims is one. Another is the slaughtering of cows in public schools. While we react and jump at these issues, these issues are mere symptoms of the larger issue at stake here which is the systemic politicization of race and religion for vested interests by...