KUALA LUMPUR – The government is looking to establish a law commission that will be independent of the Attorney-General’s Chambers and which would involve stakeholders who are not in the legal fraternity, said Law and Institutional Reform Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Azalina said this was among a host of proposals that would be brought to cabinet as the government looks to establish a special task force on institutional reforms comprising relevant stakeholders with the purpose of conducting a cross-sectoral study on the matter.
She added that to broaden the engagement with other stakeholders, the proposed task force will engage with civil society groups and members of the public, who can submit their recommendations to the task force.
“This will enable it to engage with a broader spectrum of talent, not just within the legal field, but also among the sociologists, scientists, and the business community to propose reforms to the necessary laws,” Azalina said during the Human Rights Day Forum 2022 at a hotel here this afternoon.
“We will also continue the undertakings of the previous administration to work on the abolishment of the mandatory death penalty, to be substituted with appropriate alternative sentencing.”
Under the theme Strengthening & Enhancing Human Rights Towards Leaving No One Behind, the forum is an opportunity to celebrate the United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration on Human Rights and enhance awareness of the interlinkages between human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The forum is co-organised by the Foreign Ministry, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department, the UN, and the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).
Azalina said the government also intends to look into strengthening Suhakam by amending the Suhakam Act 1999 to provide it with the necessary institutional strengths it requires to promote and uphold human rights in Malaysia.
‘Suhakam cannot be like any other government department, with due respect. I think Suhakam should be babysitting every agency if it can, because human rights is an issue of dignity.
“This government is about a government with dignity.”
She said this includes appointing people from diverse backgrounds who have appropriate experience and knowledge on human rights to Suhakam.
She added that a further review of Suhakam’s funding arrangement will be undertaken to ensure its independence can be preserved.
“With your conviction, collaboration, and support, we will strive to ensure that this unity government will commit towards the recommendations rendered by Suhakam,” she said at the forum.
“Suhakam ought to report all of its findings to Parliament to be debated for the lawmakers to be acquainted with the Malaysian human rights state of affairs and to craft the steps forward.
“It is more important than ever to embark upon institutional reforms to ensure the nation is equipped with a soft infrastructure centred on human rights.” – The Vibes, December 12, 2022
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