SHAH ALAM, 23 Mar: Malaysia is allegedly is behind in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) record checking session in the Human Rights Council of the United Nations which is session now.
The Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim), through their representative, the Vice President of ABIM, Mohamad Raimi Ab Rahim, who is participating in the UPR in Geneva this time, said that when the Federal Government introduced several new prevention laws, such as the Security Offences Act (Special Measures) 2012 (Sosma), the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and the amendment to the Prevention of Crime Act 1956 (PCA).
Raimi said that despite Malaysia’s efforts to make room for the practices of civil and political rights in Malaysia by repealing the Internal Security Act 1960, the Banishment Act 1959 and the Restricted Residence Act 1933 is laudable, however, Malaysia’s actions are backward in this matter.
“We express our regrets in recent developments, even more so when the law was passed in such a short time.
“This is also without a comprehensive consultation process with stakeholders, and there was almost no debate on these laws in Parliament,” he said in a statement today.
Raimi said that Somsa, among others, allows for 48 hours of detention, including detention without any charges of offence beyond the judicial review process is allowed for 28 days, while the PCA allows detention without trial for two years.
In this regard, they have urged the government to review and make appropriate amendments to the act so that it is in line with international standards.
They have also asked the government to consider the universal ‘Doctrine of Margin of Appreciation’ and ‘Cultural Relativist’ in the practice of human rights.
“We stress that Malaysia must improve the security aspects of their rights to have access to matters that involve, especially for rights related to the access to receive legal aid, the right to be represented by counsel, the right to a fair trial and protection from being deported to the country of origin,” he said.
He said with the implementation of these steps, they believe that Malaysia is on the right track in signing both conventions for the upcoming UPR session.
