AMID the process of identifying a new Prime Minister (PM) to helm the next Government, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) hopes that the ninth PM and new Cabinet ministers would press on with much needed institutional reforms and good governance practices.
While it is clear that the incoming PM and his Cabinet would have to focus its efforts in dealing with the pandemic and its adverse impacts upon the economy and the well-being of the people, SUHAKAM said that it would be good to have a new government that has an inclusive human rights agenda as a central feature of its work.
“Such a government would adopt a coordinated strategy to promote, protect and enable human rights approach whenever and wherever possible,” SUHAKAM pointed out in a statement.
As the national human rights institution, SUHAKAM said it commits to continue engaging with various ministries and parliamentarians, and submitting its recommendations in accordance with its legislative mandate to advise the government on pressing human rights issues.
“We reaffirm that human rights should not be an optional agenda, and the upcoming government must demonstrate its commitment to respecting human dignity and fundamental freedoms as stated in Article 5-13 of the Federal Constitution which will serve as the driving force towards meeting Malaysia’s SDGs (sustainable development goals) targets, restore hope for Malaysians and allow democracy to flourish,” the human rights commission concluded. – Aug 19, 2021
