Pusat KOMAS expresses its disappointment over the recent actions of ERA FM DJs, whose insensitive mimicry of sacred customs related to the Hindu festival, Thaipusam, has caused distress among Malaysians. This incident underscores the urgent need for greater cultural...
On the 3rd February, a delegation of 15 CSO leaders led by Convening Chair Jerald Joseph of Asean Peoples @Asean2025 (ASEAN Peoples) met the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dato’ Sri Amran Mohamed Zin accepted the “Advisory Paper to the...
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...
The Harmony Cluster of the CSO Platform for Reform condemns the religiously motivated physical violence that took place in the form of a brawl in Sungai Way, Petaling Jaya on 11 June 2021. Based on the Petaling Jaya Chief of Police press release on 11 June 2021, we believe that this issue can be avoided if the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 is respected without revealing the customer’s information. Additionally, the food deliveryman should be professional in carrying out his duty of...
Photo credit to IndiaToday Pusat KOMAS welcomes the ceasefire announcement by both the Israel and Hamas government after the recent unjust, inhumane and disproportionate military actions by the Israeli “apartheid” regime against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank which has lasted for more than a week. The exchange of fire between the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and Hamas that broke out before the Aidilfitri celebrations was not a new incident, but a continuation of a long-running...
Pusat KOMAS commends the swift action of the Southern Klang police department in detaining four individuals that were suspected to be involved in physically and verbally abusing two bodyguards on 14 April 2021. Additionally, KOMAS echoes the South Klang Police Department’s reminder that members of the public or any affiliated individuals should not sensationalize this issue as a racial issue in the social media. We believe that this incident should not have happened in a pluralistic society...
Responding to the opinion piece by Azril Mohd Amin, the founder of Centre for Human Rights Research & Advocacy (CENTHRA) – “How to not deepen divisions, spread misunderstanding” published in New Straits Times on April 2 2021, Pusat KOMAS welcomes CENTHRA’s optimism and interpretation of the findings reported in the “Malaysia Racial Discrimination Report 2020” that racism and discrimination, while existent, are not serious or widespread in Malaysia. At Pusat KOMAS we are ever hopeful that...
Human rights NGO Pusat KOMAS launched its maiden virtual run RACE TO EQUALITY in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This is a not-for-profit run with a running period from 13 May 2021 to 15 June 2021. Registration for early birds is now open! RACE TO EQUALITY is part of a larger campaign for social cohesion and national unity. Corollary to the campaign for #AkuBangsaMalaysia, this is a call for Malaysians to believe in a Malaysian identity and...
The surge of racism has created grave concerns in our nation today. Unchecked racism could potentially spark extremism. Extremists reject universal human rights, have no empathy for the rights and content of other people – that is people other than their own. They reject diversity and pluralism. The 10th National Conference on 22nd March 2021 – Racism Sparks Extremism organized by Pusat KOMAS examined these factors in detail by examining the current realities on the ground. Speakers on the...
Government should withdraw appeal. Let’s accept the lift of Allah ban and move on. We the undersigned Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) urge Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to withdraw the Government’s appeal against the High Court’s decision on 30 March to allow all Malaysians to use the word Allah, the Arabic word for the God borrowed by Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Iban, Bahasa Bidayuh, Bahasa Lun Bawang/Lun Dayeh/Kelabit and Bahasa Punjabi. We call upon the Government and People...
Pusat KOMAS applauds the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government for propounding the National Unity Action Plan (NUAP) (Blueprint) 2021-2030. It is unequivocally a step forward to promote unity at this juncture, yet some poignant reservations from the past must be weighed before yet another idea takes the form of paperwork instead of a solid execution. It is further troubling to comprehend that the PN government has at several instances displayed itself as a Malay Muslim government. Glaring...
The lapsing of Myanmar’s direct military rule in 2011 after 26 years of tyranny heralded a new, positive political phase for the peoples of Myanmar. Through democratic consciousness transcending courage and extraordinary struggles, the peoples of Myanmar laboured to achieve a transition from military rule into a democratic nation state. Starting with the victories of the May 1990 elections which the NLD secured, Myanmar’s steady growth towards a functioning democracy amidst crackdowns on the...
Background Pusat KOMAS launched its 10th National Conference: ‘Racism Sparks Extremism?’ on 14th January 2021 from 1530 hrs to 1800 hrs (MYT time). The conference aimed to scrutinise the current status of social cohesion and national harmony of multiracial Malaysia; and engage with stakeholders on the topic of racism and examine if extremism stems from racism directly. It also focused on examining the effectiveness of government bodies set up towards eliminating racism; and endeavoured to...