CIVICUS, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and SUARAM call upon states to use the upcoming human rights review of Malaysia at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to call out its ongoing failure to fully implement previous recommendations related to civic freedoms. On 25 January 2024, Malaysia’s human rights record [ Read more ]

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) condemn the conviction of youth activist Wong Yan Ke. Wong’s conviction represents Malaysia’s tightening grip on civic space, particularly against youth defenders who have been leading the country’s political activism in recent years. We urge the Government of Malaysia to quash [ Read more ]

(30 June 2023, Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur) The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) express concern about the recent civil defamation suit filed by the Chairperson of Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (SUHAKAM) (“Commission”) – the national human rights institution of Malaysia – against the Deputy Secretary of the Commission. [ Read more ]

This report, titled “State of Disruption: Assessing the Impact of Malaysia’s COVID-19 Laws on Civic Space,” is a collaborative effort between FORUM-ASIA, SUARAM and Pusat KOMAS. Following the footsteps of neighbouring governments, Malaysia’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) government enforced stringent measures in 2020 to combat the spread of COVID-19. These measures included targeted Movement Control Orders [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 7 July 2022) – ‘The recent selection and appointment of new commissioners to Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (SUHAKAM), Malaysia’s national human rights institution, was shrouded in secrecy and marks a regression in the country’s international commitments to strengthen the mandate of SUHAKAM,’ said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), as the [ Read more ]

(Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur, 20 June 2022) – We, the undersigned organisations, demand clarity on the supposed delay of the release of 2020 and 2021 Annual Reports of Malaysia’s national human rights institution (NHRI), Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (SUHAKAM). The long-delayed publication of the 2020 and 2021 Annual Reports could derail the important work that SUHAKAM [ Read more ]

In the early hours of 20th April, over 500 Rohingya refugees, including 97 women, 294 men, and 137 children, escaped from a detention centre in Sungai Bakap. It was later confirmed that 7 of those who fled were killed tragically in a traffic accident, including three young children. Over the following days, at least 467 people [ Read more ]

The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) launched the ANNI Report 2020 on the Performance of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), that critically assesses the performance of NHRIs against the Paris Principles in 2020. The Paris Principles are the minimum international standards for ensuring independent, effective, and credible NHRIs for the promotion [ Read more ]

Date: Friday, 15 October 2021 Time: 1.00 – 2.15 PM (GMT+7) Register here: l.forum-asia.org/ACSCAPF21 Live via: Zoom   This year’s ASEAN Civil Society Conference / ASEAN Peoples’ Forum eclipses a challenging era for the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) as it deals with the spillover effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the worsening crisis in Myanmar. Eight [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA is proud to present its new publication, “Summary Report: 9th Asian Human Rights Defenders Forum”, an abridgement from an event that facilitates human rights defenders (HRDs) and women human rights defenders (WHRDs) to discuss work and advocacy efforts, and share the experiences and challenges they face. From 2019 to date, the situation of defenders [ Read more ]