MALAYSIA: NEW MINISTER’S STATEMENT OPENS OPPORTUNITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS REFORMS

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIA

MEDIA STATEMENT

3 JULY 2018

Attribution: Gwen Lee, Interim Executive Director, Amnesty International Malaysia.

Amnesty International welcomes the statement made by the new Foreign Affairs Minister, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah to push Malaysia for an early accession to the remaining six out of nine international conventions that Malaysia has yet to sign and ratify.

We laud the new minister’s statement in which the Malaysian government is taking necessary steps to become a party in the remaining conventions including the optional protocols.

Once ratified, the Malaysian government must ensure that every condition listed in these conventions are implemented in policy and practice swiftly in order to and uphold human rights in the country.

This is particularly exciting for Amnesty International Malaysia as one of our long-standing campaigns is for Malaysia to sign and ratify the The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UN Convention Against Torture), which is also listed as one of the priority conventions listed in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto. Malaysia needs to move away from capital punishment and ensure that there are no more instances of death in custody during investigation process by law enforcers.

This also opens an opportunity for Malaysia to take the lead in human rights reforms not just in ASEAN but also the region as a whole. We hope to see significant changes in the accession process and after Malaysia has become parties to these conventions.

Amnesty International Malaysia is looking forward to work with the Malaysian Government in the accession process and to provide insight.