Day: October 2, 2015

Malaysia still long way to go in overcoming child marriage — Joint Action Group for Gender Equality

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

Pic from The Star Online

OCTOBER 2 — The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) expresses our grave concern at the statement by the Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor on the rarity of child marriages in Malaysia to the international audience she was addressing at the Ford Foundation breakfast meeting in New York, as reported in The Star on 1 October 2015.

The statement by Datin Seri Rosmah mentioned that child marriages in Malaysia are rare because of the low poverty rate of 0.6 per cent. Unfortunately, child marriages in Malaysia occur more often than depicted.

In 2010, the Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Heng Seai Kie said that approximately 16,000 girls aged below 15 were married.

Four years later in 2014, Malaysia yet again caused international concern, as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 2014 report recorded that more than 15,000 Malaysian children were married off before the age of 19. Read more →

Syrian refugees in Malaysia will get special ID card

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Source: The Star Online

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will be issuing a special identification card for the 3,000 Syrian refugees it will be accepting into the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Home Ministry, will facilitate the arrival of the refugees based on current laws through the Immigration Department.

“Usually the UNHCR will work with the International Organisation of Migrants (IOM) to issue cards for the refugees that enter Malaysia.

“This time, we will issue iKad for the refugees. The iKad will have security elements embedded into the card for the use of the Immigration Department,” he told a press conference after the Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on the Rise of Radicalisation and Violent Extremism (SAMMRRAVE) here Friday. Read more →

Malaysia to offer shelter, jobs and education to Syrian refugees

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Source: The Malaysian Insider

Thousands of migrants mostly from Syria have arrived in Germany in the past months in the wake of the refugee crisis facing Europe. Malaysia today announced its willingness to shelter 3,000 Syrians fleeing the war. – Reuters file pic, October 2, 2015.

Malaysia will offer shelter and jobs temporarily to 3,000 Syrian refugees as well as education access for their children while in this country.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said accepting the refugees showed the compassion of the government over the fate of Syrian refugees.

“What is important is to provide shelter for them and their families, and we will also look at various ways to provide education for their children.

“We will use our experience in dealing with refugees so that we can provide temporary shelter, education and jobs to them until there is peace in Syria, after which they can return to their country,” he told reporters after the Asean Special Ministerial Meeting on Radicalism and Extremism. Read more →

SOSMA Must Not be Misused to Silence Critics of 1MDB – Malaysian Bar Council

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PRESS RELEASE

steven thiru-icon prezThe Malaysian Bar is perturbed by the arrest and detention of Dato’ Sri Khairuddin Abu Hassan (“Dato’ Sri Khairuddin”), a politician and vocal critic of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (“1MDB”).

Dato’ Sri Khairuddin was arrested by the police on 18 September 2015 and remanded under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code (“CPC”) for six days.  It has been reported that the police initially alleged that he had committed an offence under Section 124C of the Penal Code (attempt to commit activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy) because he had lodged reports with the law enforcement authorities in Switzerland, United Kingdom, France, Singapore and Hong Kong on the alleged financial impropriety relating to 1MDB.[1]  Prior to his arrest, he had been barred by the Department of Immigration, without reason, from travelling outside Malaysia.[2]  It has also been reported that he was scheduled to travel to New York for a meeting with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.[3] Read more →

Uthayakumar files notice of motion for Royal Commission of Inquiry

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Source: The Malaysian Insider

Hindraf founder P. Uthayakumar (centre) has filed a notice of motion to the High Court for an order to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry on prisons’ treatment of inmates. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 2, 2015.

Hindraf founder P. Uthayakumar has filed a notice of motion to the High Court today for an order to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry on prisons’ treatment of inmates.

Uthayakumar named Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and prisons director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar as respondents. Read more →

Zunar 1st Malaysian chosen for global rights campaign

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Source: The Malaysian Insider

Amnesty International (AI) has chosen cartoonist Zunar to become the 1st Malaysian in its Write for Rights (#W4R) 2015 campaign. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 2, 2015.

Cartoonist Zunar has become the first Malaysian to be selected by global human rights body Amnesty International (AI) to join its Write for Rights (#W4R) 2015 campaign.

AI Malaysia today announced Zunar, whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, as a participant of of the campaign that will see thousands of activists raising awareness of others who are persecuted by their governments. Read more →

Don’t let TPP jeopardise Malaysia’s future – Joseph Stiglitz & Adam Hersh

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Source: The Malaysian Insider

BY JOSEPH STIGLITZ AND ADAM HERSH

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a lopsided agreement favouring the United States. Two leading American economists have urged Putrajaya to safeguard Malaysians before signing the deal, which is set to be concluded at year-end. Pic taken from FMT News

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a lopsided agreement favouring the United States. Two leading American economists have urged Putrajaya to safeguard Malaysians before signing the deal, which is set to be concluded at year-end. Pic taken from FMT News

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is facing his last best chance to reverse the course of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, a new international economic agreement that would lock in unequal trading relationships between advanced economy countries, such as the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia, and developing economies like Malaysia.

TPP negotiators are now in what they hope is the final round to conclude this agreement. Political leaders will boast of negotiating for the best interests of their people and country.

But the reality is that special corporate interests – in the United States as elsewhere – have been given far too much influence on the negotiations. The agreement will go far beyond just cutting tariffs and quotas to mandate fundamental changes in each country’s legal, judicial, and regulatory institutions – a sop to the moneyed lobbies who have had more access to the process than concerned citizens or even lawmakers.

Given past experience with US-led trade agreements, and what we glean from documents leaked from the confidential negotiations, it is clear that Malaysia’s negotiators are giving away much to advanced country business interests. Read more →

Suhakam memperingati hari tanpa keganasan Antarabangsa 2015 – Hasmy Agam

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Sumber: The Malaysian Insider

OLEH TAN SRI HASMY AGAM

Suhakam Chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam - TRP file pic

Suhakam Chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam – TRP file pic

Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (Suhakam) bersama-sama negara lain di dunia bagi meraikan Hari Tanpa Keganasan Antarabangsa hari ini, 2 Oktober, sempena hari lahir Mahatma Gandhi yang merupakan ikon yang menolak sebarang unsur keganasan.

Mengambilkira aspek tanpa keganasan, toleransi, penghormatan sepenuhnya terhadap hak asasi manusia dan kebebasan untuk semua, demokrasi, pembangunan, persefahaman dan menghormati kepelbagaian, adalah saling berkait dan saling mengukuhkan, resolusi pada 15 Jun 2007 Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) yang ditubuhkan untuk memperingati hari antarabangsa ini, mengalu-alukan semua negara anggota PBB untuk menyebarkan mesej tanpa keganasan, termasuk melalui pendidikan dan kesedaran awam. Read more →