Lack of human rights reforms in Malaysia a deep disappointment.
Global rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government had failed to fulfil its pledges to improve the country’s human rights record and had gone back on certain promised reforms and commitments to human rights.
Its deputy director for Asia, Phil Robertson said PH should recognise that further delays in ending abusive systems and laws only meant further harm for the people.
He cited the government’s failure to repeal certain draconian laws, pledges to abolish the death sentence and the law giving the National Security Council emergency-like powers.
HRW also said there were indications by PH that it would implement reforms in the weeks following its historic win in the May 9 election, but these also faltered.
These included the establishment of the Institutional Reforms Committee which engaged with the public to come up with a roadmap for legal and administrative reforms and a moratorium on the Sedition Act.
“Nine months after the Institutional Reform Committee’s report was submitted to the prime minister in July 2018, it has still not been made public, demonstrating a lack of transparency and accountability,” said HRW.
It also noted the government’s about-turn on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and the Rome Statute.
The group also raised concerns over Putrajaya’s fear of public opinion in failing to ratify several key United Nations (UN) conventions.
“Such a fear was disconcerting and entirely out of proportion.
“They need to understand that they are elected and have made commitments, and follow through on them. Things will be all right,” Robertson told a press conference on PH’s reform agenda a year after coming to power.
He also noted what he said was a willingness in Putrajaya to “wait another day which may not come, when everything is wonderful and we can pass the treaties with no problems at all”.
“That is not going to happen,” he added. “Not with an opposition playing disruptive politics.
“The reality is that, no matter what the government says, it will face opposition from Umno and PAS.
“The question is whether it can find the stomach to push them through or not.”
Robertson said that Malaysia’s position as a multiracial and multi-religious country is not unique.
“There are a lot of complicated countries in the world. There are many different countries where there are different races and religions living side by side, and they are able to ratify UN conventions. They are able to implement human rights laws, able to find the modus operandi to ensure that peace and tranquillity are maintained,” he said.
He said the government is responsible for protecting human rights.
HRW also questioned the government’s failure to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), against a backdrop of damning indictments of the police in high profiles cases, including the disappearance of two activists that the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) blamed on the police.
“After a year in power, the Malaysian government has nowhere to go but up in attaining its human rights pledges,” said HRW.
Meanwhile, Amnesty executive director Shamini Darhsini Kaliemuthu said Putrajaya lacks political will.
“We see a lack of clear direction towards reform. We need to see a plan that is clearly articulated, and in the spirit of promoting and protecting human rights in the country,” Shamini said.
Sher urged PH to remain committed to implementing reforms.
“We are disappointed with the U-turns made by the government. They should remain steadfast, and they need to speed up these reforms. Efforts to introduce human rights reforms are there, but progress is slow.”