AN NGO has called on the government to table a Racial and Religious Hatred Bill in parliament, which would ensure that those making any statement deemed as hate speech directed at a particular race or religion will be prosecuted.
Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) president S Shashi Kumar also called for an independent body to oversee conversions into Islam. He said there need to be strict laws and guidelines drafted and enforced to prevent such conversions from being done covertly, coercively and in a partial manner favouring the converted against the unconverted.
In a statement in conjunction with Human Rights Day today, Shashi lamented that people are growing increasingly impatient, dissatisfied, and perplexed over the government’s uncertain roadmap in leading the nation.
He said that promises of “reformation” made during the 15th general election campaign trails in November last year have yet to be delivered to the people, remaining merely political speeches.
He also expressed GHRF’s disappointment at the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), which he claimed has failed to address all the critical issues pertaining to human rights and violations towards minorities.
“Public opinion holds Suhakam as totally inefficient and inactive in speaking up for the minorities and the injustice shown as well as the double standard policies impacting non-Muslims and non-Malays in the country,” he said in a statement today.
“For years over decades now, they were merely being a puppet to the government given the fact that they are politically appointed representatives.
“Today, NGOs and netizens are deeply concerned and increasingly disturbed over the level of racial and religious intolerance in the country, which is morphing into a threat to national unity and harmony,” he added.
He stressed that it is widely perceived that racial divisions in Malaysian society are pulling people further apart, and this cannot continue to be ignored if patriotism is regarded as a vital ingredient for national peace and progress.
Shashi added that GHRF currently has three active cases pending in the courts with regards to inflammatory speeches and posts in the public domain, related to insulting and deriding non-Islamic religions in the country.
“It has always been either the NGOs or the public who have to individually or privately seek justice as the law enforcement agencies and authorities who are supposed to act on the matter without prejudice or bias seem to be operating on double standards,” he said.
Sarawak groups raise awareness
Meanwhile, a group of 15 civil society groups fighting for greater human rights and rights of vulnerable communities today celebrated the 75th anniversary of Human Rights Day in Kuching.
They gathered at the La Promenade Shopping Mall in the state capital of Sarawak to observe the event with the public.
Suhakam, Rise of Sarawak Efforts, Sarawak Aids Concern Society, and numerous other bodies representing women, children and family advocates held exhibitions, talks and dialogues.
Among the topics of concern that were highlighted were on the issue of child abuse, human trafficking, re-delineation of electoral boundaries, and the rights of vulnerable groups.
Suhakam’s team also highlighted the rights of children and minors, and the women associations stressed on empowering women in more areas in society.
Human Rights Day is meant to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948. – The Vibes, December 10, 2023
