Malaysia Centers
Known Centers based in Malaysia
If your center is not in this list and you want to be added, please contact HURIGHTS OSAKA and we will assist you.
Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran)
Year Established: 1977
Short Historical Background
Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Malay for National Consciousness Movement) or Aliran was launched in Penang on 12 August 1977 by seven concerned Malaysians from different ethnic backgrounds. Today, it is a national reform movement with members, friends and supporters from different parts of the country. It is Malaysia's first multi-ethnic reform movement dedicated to justice, freedom and solidarity. Listed on the Roster of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 1987, Aliran has a consistent record of championing democratic reforms.
Guided by universal spiritual values, its struggle focuses on building genuine unity by upholding human dignity and promoting social justice for all Malaysians.
Since 1977, it has been planting the seeds of public awareness of critical political, economic and social issues. Over the years, it has lobbied hard for wide-ranging reforms in all aspects of public life. Today, the stirring cries of "Reformasi!" ring out for all to hear.
Objectives
Aliran is a social movement. Its aim is to raise social consciousness and encourage social action that will lead to social justice.
Social justice is possible only if the social order enables every human being to live like a human being. Living like a human being means bringing forth the humanity in each person.
Humanity is the total expression of all the eternal, universal values such as truth, justice, freedom equality, love, compassion, moderation, tolerance and restraint which lie at the heart of the great spiritual traditions. This is why realizing everyone’s humanity is discovering the divine essence in them. Only by manifesting this humanity that people will be able to establish their loyalty to God.
Activity
Aliran's main activity is publishing Aliran Monthly to raise public awareness on important issues affecting Malaysians. Aliran also issues media releases, which analyze various issues related to its quest for an alternative order, and responds to both local and international human rights appeals.
Occasionally, Aliran organizes talks for the public or send its officials as speakers or participants to forums organized by other groups. It also serves as a co-ordinating body or secretariat for appeals and campaigns on specific social and human rights issues.
Aliran is an important source of independent information on Malaysia for political analysts, academics and others interested in what is really happening in the country.
Publications
Articles and commentaries on the Aliran website and in its printed journal Aliran Monthly
Address
ALIRAN
103 Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, Penang, Malaysia
ph (60 4) 6585251
fax (60 4) 6585197
e-mail (general): alirankn[a]hotmail.com
www.aliran.com
Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW)
Year Established:1993
Short Historical Background
ARROW is a non-profit, non-governmental women’s NGO with a consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Based in Kuala Lumpur, ARROW has been working since 1993 to promote and defend women’s rights and needs, particularly in the areas of health and sexuality, and to reaffirm their agency to claim these rights. Since it was established by Rashidah Abdullah and Rita Raj, ARROW has been working to achieve these aims through interlinked strategies of information and communications for change, monitoring and research for evidence-based advocacy, strengthening partnerships for advocacy and organisational development. We work with a core set of national partners in 12 countries across Asia and the Pacific, as well as with regional
partners from Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean, and with allied international organizations. Through our information and communications and advocacy programs, we are able to reach key stakeholders in more than 120 countries worldwide.
Objectives (long-term):
ARROW aims
1. To make health, reproductive health and population policies and programs re-oriented to become more accessible, affordable, comprehensive, and include a gender and rights approach
2. To make the women's movement and civil society become stronger and more effective in holding governments accountable to international commitments, influencing policy agendas on women's health and rights, and gaining sustained representation on decision-making structures
3) To make women's health outcomes and women's lives improve, particularly in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights, including violence against women, especially for poor and marginalized women and girls.
Programs and Activities
The objectives of the Work Program and Budget for the next strategic planning period (October 2006 – September 2011) are as follows:
Objective 1 – To create and implement a comprehensive information and communications strategy for ARROW, providing a strategic framework for the sharing of conceptual, practical and innovative information materials and tools; a system for the participatory monitoring and evaluating of the impact of this strategy; the increased utilization of new technologies towards enhancing outreach; and the collection, production, dissemination, translation, and promotion of such information materials and tools such that key NGOs, governments, the United Nations (UN), and other stakeholders are influenced towards improving health and population policies and programs, specifically on critical women’s health and rights issues.
Objective 2 –To create a systematic evidence-based research and monitoring system which charts national and regional progress towards Cairo, Beijing and other international commitments pertaining to women’s health and rights; that the data from this monitoring system is periodically uploaded onto an internet database for ready access by NGOs, governments, United Nations agencies, as well as other stakeholders; that the analysis of this data critiques and creates a pressure on existing indicator and monitoring systems presently used by governments and the UN, towards compliance with the higher standards set by Cairo and Beijing; and that new indicator tools are developed to account for the impact of emerging and as yet unquantified threats and obstacles to women’s health and rights.
Objective 3 – To carry out national, regional and international capacity building for strategic policy advocacy that strengthens feminist, rights-based, gender-sensitive, and women-centered approaches of national and regional NGOs, as well as other related agencies; that effectively identifies gaps in the implementation of government policies and programs in four ways: 1) Through the monitoring of budgets; 2) By evaluating the extent of women’s participation in policy and decision-making; 3) By assessing the existence or lack of policy frameworks that address critical issues of women’s health and rights; and 4) By monitoring performance and government accountability concerning the commitments made at Cairo, Beijing and other international development agreements involving women’s health and rights. All this will be done in order that marginalized women increasingly obtain accessible, affordable, comprehensive, gender-sensitive, and rights-based sexual and reproductive health care services.
Objective 4 – To expand the Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership (WHRAP) to all 13 priority countries of ARROW and convene WHRAP Asia-Pacific as a regional forum of capacity building for evidence-based policy advocacy at local, national and regional levels; that the WHRAP advocacy strategy generates grassroots demand for government accountability on international commitments; that WHRAP creates an enabling regional environment for improved policies and programs at all levels; and that the WHRAP partnership strategy opens up new opportunities for advocacy on women’s health and rights and expands the space for NGOs to engage with, participate in and influence policy-making processes of governments and other international agencies with increasing effectiveness.
Objective 5 – To strengthen the documentation of good organizational practices of both ARROW and partner organizations with the aim of enhancing feminist leadership within the women’s health and rights movement, as well as the women’s movement in general.
ARROW occupies a strategic niche in Asia and the Pacific region and globally as a South-based women-led organization that has a women’s health and rights focus; and a gender, rights-based and Global South framework. ARROW contributes to and creates positive social change in the field of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights through utilising several interlinked strategies:
• Strategic information and communications for change: ARROW believes agenda-setting for SRHR in the region and the global South is driven by information and communications, which has been a core strategy since its inception. ARROW’s Infocom Strategy is guided by the philosophy that strategic collection, creation, distillation and dissemination of information and effective utilization of information mechanisms spur and stimulate social change. This philosophy drives us to remain current, relevant and responsive to the changing external environment and the information needs of key stakeholders at the national, regional and global levels. Infocom mechanisms will be key in enabling ARROW and her partners in the region and in the global South to set the development/ SRHR agenda with women-centred, rights-based and Southern perspectives. Our main mechanisms include production of cutting-edge publications, including the peer-reviewed journal bulletin ARROWs for Change, website and new media and technologies, the ARROW SRHR Knowledge Sharing Centre (ASK-us!), and marketing, media and promotions.
• Monitoring and research for evidence-based advocacy: monitoring of international commitments on women’s health, sexuality and rights is a powerful political tool toward ensuring accountability of international bodies and national governments. ARROW thus charts regional and national progress on commitments made at global meetings, mainly the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (ICPD PoA), as well as also the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women Platform of Action (BPfA) and the Millennium Development Declaration and subsequent Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). ARROW strengthens and provides a holistic lens to the mainstream monitoring frameworks, indicators and data, and presents alternative frameworks to UN agencies, donors and SRHR NGOs that consider gender, rights-based and Southern perspectives, and take into consideration emerging threats and obstacles to women’s health and rights.
• Strengthening partnerships for advocacy: Effective advocacy at national, regional and global venues is possible through a regional advocacy partnership, which is based on evidence and rooted in grassroots empowerment. The Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership (WHRAP) is an ARROW program strategy that brings together women and young people’s NGO partners who are committed to strengthening civil society capacity to effectively advocate for marginalised women and young people’s SRHR. Identifying the gap between government commitments to international laws and policies with actual realities on the ground is the first step in the WHRAP strategy. Community-based organizations then work with the target beneficiaries to carry out capacity building for strategic evidence generation regarding quality of services, which is then used to mobilize demand for improvements in services. This evidence-based mobilisation is then represented at state-level and national level policy dialogues aimed at amending generic policies and programs so that they become a) oriented more specifically and responsively towards the needs of marginalized women and young people, and b) generate an increase in the local level demand for improved health governance. Further, at the regional and global levels, mobilization is towards demanding for
accountability through international human rights mechanisms. WHRAP is currently operating in South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has created and will continue to establish new multilateral engagement platforms between and among governments and NGOs.
• Organisational development (OD): ARROW’s commitment to OD is based on the understanding that to continuously contribute towards the women’s health and rights agenda, we must also build systems of management that reflect our principles. These systems attempt to minimize hierarchy while emphasising participatory decision-making, promote intergenerational dialogue, as well as the mentoring and development of newer leaders, incorporates sharing and learning as an integral part of organizational practices, and invests in the effective documentation of strategies and lessons learned. ARROW’s OD strategy begins with the sharing and learning process and the application of honest and bold critical analysis to ensure the relevance of the organisation in contributing towards improving the lives of marginalized women in the region.
Publications
All publications can be downloaded for free at www.arrow.org.my
• ARROW Digital Resources 1994-2012 [DVD]
• ARROWs for Change journal bulletin, Volumes 1-18 (1995-2012)
• ARROW Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Database of Indicators. www.srhrdatabase.org
• SRHR Info Resources E-news service (Digital only)
• Beyond ICPD and MDGs: NGOs Strategising for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Asia-Pacific (2012)
• Kuala Lumpur Call to Action: Asia and the Pacific NGOs Call for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for Sustainable Development, 3rd May 2012, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [Flyer] (2012)
• Kuala Lumpur Plan of Action (2012)
• Diabetes: The Missing Link to Achieving Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Asia-Pacific Region by ARROW & WDF (2012)
• Reclaiming & Redefining Rights—Thematic Studies Series 4: Maternal Mortality and Morbidity in Asia (2011)
• Reclaiming & Redefining Rights—Thematic Studies Series 3: Reproductive Rights and Autonomy in Asia (2011)
• Reclaiming & Redefining Rights—Thematic Studies Series 2: Pathways to Universal Access to Reproductive Health Care in Asia by T.K.S. Ravindran (2011)
• Reclaiming & Redefining Rights—Thematic Studies Series 1: Sexuality & Rights in Asia (2011)
• Making a Difference: Improving Women’s Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights in South Asia (2010)
• “Regional overview—MDG5 in Asia: Progress, gaps and challenges 2000-2010” (2010)
• “Briefing paper: The Women and Health section of the Beijing Platform for Action” (2010)
• Reclaiming & Redefining Rights: ICPD+15: Status of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Asia by S. Thanenthiran & S.J. Racherla (2009)
• Advocating Accountability: Status Report on Maternal Health and Young People’s SRHR in South Asia (2008)
• Surfacing: Selected Papers on Religious Fundamentalisms and Their Impact on Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (2008)
• Rights and Realities: Monitoring Reports on the Status of Indonesian Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (2007)
• Monitoring Ten Years of ICPD Implementation: The Way Forward to 2015, Asian Country Reports (2005)
• Women of the World: Laws and Policies Affecting Their Reproductive Lives, East and Southeast Asia by ARROW and Centre for Reproductive Rights (2005)
• Access to Quality Gender-Sensitive Health Services: Women- Centred Action Research (2003)
• Women’s Health Needs and Rights in Southeast Asia - A Beijing Monitoring Report (2001)
• A Framework of Indicators for Action on Women’s Health Needs & Rights After Beijing (2000)
• In Dialogue for Women’s Health Rights: Report of the South East Asian Regional GO-NGO Policy Dialogue on Monitoring & Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (2000)
• Taking Up the Cairo Challenge: Country Studies in Asia Pacific (1999)
• Information Package 2: Gender and Women’s Health (1997)
• Women-Centred and Gender-Sensitive Experiences: Changing our Perspectives, Policies & Programmes on Women’s Health in Asia and the Pacific—A Resource Kit (1996)
• Information Package 2: Towards Women-Centred Reproductive Health (1994)
• Reappraising Population Policies and Family Planning Programmes: An Annotated Bibliography (1994)
Address
Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women
No. 80 & 82, 3rd Floor, Jalan Tun Sambanthan
Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.
ph (603) 2273 9913 / 2273 9914 / 2273 9915
fax (603) 2273 9916
e-mail: arrow[a]arrow.org.my
www.arrow.org.my
Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
Year Established: 1989
Short Historical Background
The Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) was established in 1989 to advance the cause of the Orang Asli - whether via the greater dissemination of Orang Asli news and views, assisting in court cases involving Orang Asli rights, or in developing arguments for lobbying and advocacy work.
The focus is on Orang Asli communities who still want to exercise autonomy and control over their social institutions, their traditional territories and their future, but are unable to do so fully because of factors outside their control.
Objective
COAC aims to facilitate Orang Asli initiatives at self-development and in defense of their rights, and to support those who want to promote such initiatives.
Publications
Indigenous Peoples and Local Government: Experiences from Malaysia and the Philippines, CPA / PACOS TRUST / COAC / ANTHROWATCH (IWGIA 2005)
Orang Asli Women of Malaysia: Perceptions, Situations & Aspirations, Adela Baer / Karen Endicott / Rosemary Gianno / Signe Howell/Barbara S. Nowak / Cornelia van der Sluys (2006)
Chita' Hae: Culture, Crafts and Customs of the Hma' Meri in Kampung Sungai Bumbon, Pulau Carey, Reita Rahim (editor) (2007)
International Indigenous Rights: Evolution, Progress & Regress, Yogeswaran Subramaniam (2007)
Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Malaysia, Colin Nicholas & Jannie Lasimbang (eds) (2004)
Flowed Over: The Babagon Dam and the Resettlement of the Kadazandusun in Sabah, Carol Yong Ooi Lin (2003)
Orang Asli Women and the Forest: The Impact of Resource Depletion on Gender Relations among the Semai, Colin Nicholas/Tijah Yok Chopil/Tiah Sabak (2003)
Semelai Communities At Tasek Bera: A Study of the Structure of an Orang Asli Community, Hoe Ban Seng (2001)
The Orang Hulu: A Report on Malaysian Orang Asli in the 1960s, Narifumi Maeda Tachimoto (2001)
The Orang Asli and the Contest For Resources: Indigenous Politics, Development and Identity in Peninsular Malaysia, Colin Nicholas (2000)
Health, Disease, And Survival: A Biomedical and Genetic Analysis of the Orang Asli of Malaysia, A. Baer (1999)
Address
Center for Orang Asli Concerns
23 Jalan SS 25/29, 47301 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
P.O. Box 3052
47590 Subang Jaya, Malaysia
ph/fax (603) 734-09-88
e-mail: coac[a]tm.net.my; coac[a]streamyx.com
www.coac.org.my
Education and Research Association for Consumers (ERA Consumer)
Year Established:1985
Short Historical Background
The Education and Research Association for Consumers, Malaysia (ERA Consumer Malaysia) is a voluntary, non-profit and non-political civil society organization. It was founded in the state of Perak in 1985 and subsequently expanded into a national organization, now based in Kuala Lumpur. ERA Consumer Malaysia is a registered membership organization under The Malaysian Societies Act of 1966.
Objective
As a research, education and advocacy group, ERA CONSUMER MALAYSIA aims to strengthen the capacity of community-based organizations and grassroots communities and empower them to participate through initiatives in socio-economic, accountable governance, sustainable agriculture and ecological endeavors.
Programs
Research – ERA Consumer is a community-based think tank that generates knowledge, information and innovation to support consumer information, education, protection and sustainable people-centered development process.
Advocacy – it campaigns through policy inputs, seminars and media dissemination for consumer protection legislation, strengthening the position of women and children and sustaining the environment.
Empowerment – it develops projects in partnership with vulnerable communities such as workers, farmers, indigenous, children and women. Its current empowerment agenda focuses on The Self Reliant Community Project for rural poor farmers, consumers, indigenous communities on sustainable livelihood and consumption with equitable access to basic needs through health, consumer education programs.
Networking - it networks with a wide range of organizations at the local, national, regional and international levels to build and enhance solidarity in the social development arena.
Documentation – it publishes books, reports and articles relating to Consumer Laws, Trade, Food Security, Accountable Governance and Human Rights to be used as reference and lobbying tools.
Sustainable Practices – it promotes sustainable lifestyles through sustainable livelihood and consumption of rural and vulnerable communities to strengthen access to credit, adequate, safe and nutritious food and able to manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.
Activities
Human Rights
Human Rights Training Program for political party members, teachers, union members, women, youth, marginalized and vulnerable communities - aims to raise awareness, inform and educate them about their human rights and basic legal rights.
Monitoring the National Human Rights Commission - review of the Commission’s activities annually and publishing the finding as an alternative report to its annual report.
Legal literacy program
Training for community leaders to raise awareness and educate the community leaders about the country's legal framework and mechanism through our paralegal training program for community leaders.
Human Rights Seminars
One-day seminars on various issues of human rights particularly Human Rights and Islam and on promoting moderation.
Consumer Activities
Undertaking public awareness campaigns and activities to educate the Malaysian consumers on how to become SMART consumer. In addition we also lobby and advocate on law and policy reforms, give feedback and advise to interested stakeholders and government agencies.
Community Empowerment Project
Currently, ERA Consumer has seven community centers around the country providing free and voluntary services for the poor and vulnerable communities. This project was initiated through a grant from the European Union. This project aims:
• To inculcate greater economic participation
• To facilitate self-empowerment through health and well-being
• To support better economic opportunity through education.
Publications
Publications in Bahasa Malaysia (National Language)
• Perisytiharan: Hak tanggungjawab individu - individu kumpulan dan organisasi masyarakat untuk memupuk dan melindungi hak asasi manusia dan kebebasan asasi yang iktirafkan di serata dunia.
• Perisytiharan : Hak Asasi Manusia Sejagat (Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
• Konvensyen: Anti Penyeksaan, Kekejaman, Pelakuan atau hukuman yang tidak Berperikemanusian (Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment)
• Konvensyen: Mengenai Penghapusan semua bentuk Diskriminasi terhadap wanita.( Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women)
• Konvensyen:Mengenai Pembasmian segala bentuk Diskriminasi Perkauman (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination)
• Konvensyen: Anti Diskrisminasi dalam pendidkan (Convention against Discrimination in Education)
• Konvenan: Mengenai hak sivil dan politik (Covenant on Civil and Political Rights)
• Konvensyen: Mengenai Hak Kanak- Kanak (Convention on the Rights of the Child)
• Konvenan: Mengenai hak Ekonomi, social dan kebudayaan (Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)
• Deklarasi: Bagi mengurangkan semua bentuk ketidak kerjasamaan dan diskriminasi berdasarkan agama atau kepercayaan ( Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion and Belief)
• Piagam hak asasi manusia Malaysia (Malaysian Charter on Human Rights)
• Membina kapasiti dan memperkukuhkan tindakan komuniti untuk pembangunan mampan
• Buku Panduan Keganasan Rumah Tangga
• Kajian soal selidik terhadap keyakinan pengguna menggunakan kad ATM di sekitar kawasan PJ 2000 - brochures
• Bukit Larut Hati dan Jiwa Taiping 2003 Kempen Pemuliharaan Bukit Larut
• Bengkel Pertanian Kebangsaan:Menjayakan Sektor Pengeluaran Makanan di Malaysia.19 - 21 Sept, 2000
• Hak Asasi dan Jaminan Makanan
• Globalisasi dan Impaknya ke atas Para Petani di Malaysia
• Bengkel Pertanian Nasional
• Kajian Jaminan Makanan - Kajian 24 Kampung Di Malaysia.
Publications in English
• Suicide and its impact on society: Malaysia Blueprint for prevention
• Direct Selling: An Evaluation
• Understanding Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
• Competition Policy and Consumer Protection in Malaysia
• Proceedings of the public consultation on violence against women
• Seminar on understanding Human Rights & Islam: Motivation, Ideology and Relevance in a contemporary society
• Proceedings of forum on understanding the Human Rights Commission Act 1999
• Proceedings of Human Rights & Islam: An Islamic on the impacts and challenges to women in the 21st century
• The Vital Role of Malaysia Parliamentarians in Strengthening Human Rights and Democracy in Malaysia
• Biotechnology - Simplified
• Initiative for the Establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
• Community Centres for Empowerment of Indian Women in Malaysia.
• Changing consumption patterns in Malaysia : A cause for concern?
• Trips and Pharmaceuticals: The impact on Malaysia consumers.
• Building capacities and strengthening community action for sustainable development.
• Proceedings of Forum on Understanding the Human Rights Commission Act 1999
• Awareness Seminar: Introducing Codex Alimentarius
• The World Trade Organisation agreement on Agriculture and its Impact on Malaysia
• A Biological Management study of Bukit Larut & Its Surroundings, Perak Malaysia
• Situation of Agriculture In Malaysia : A Cause for concern
• National Farmers Meeting 2002.
• Situation of Agriculture in Malaysia : A Cause for concern
• National Consultation on Food Security in Malaysia
• Our Common Future : Making it happen
• National Agriculture Workshop: For a Successful Food Production Sector in Malaysia.
• Assessing Food Security : A Micro- Study of 24 Villages In Malaysia.
• Suhakam after 1 Year - Proceedings of National Consultation on the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM)
• Suhakam after 2 Years - Proceedings of National Consultation on the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM)
• Suhakam after 3 Years - Proceedings of National Consultation on the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM)
• Suhakam after 4 Years - Proceedings of National Consultation on the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM)
• Suhakam after 5 Years - Proceedings of National Consultation on the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM)
• Suhakam after 6 Years- Proceedings of National Consultation on the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM)
• Counselling Local Council
Address
Education and Research Association for Consumers Malaysia
(ERA CONSUMER MALAYSIA)
No. 24, Jalan SS 1/22A ,
47300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan,
Malaysia
ph : (603) 7876 4648; 7877 4741
fax (603) 7873 0636
e-mail: general[a]eraconsumer.org
www.eraconsumer.org
Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR)
Year Established: 2011
Short Historical Background
The Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR) was established on 19 March 2011 by a group of lawyers and human rights activists who are highly motivated and committed to the development of human rights in Malaysia.
Objectives
MCCHR aims to promote and protect human rights in Malaysia through education, training, capacity building, media advocacy and strategic litigation.
Programs and Activities
MCCHR implements two major programs:
• UndiMsia!:
»» Provides information on human rights and civic education to the urban, semi-urban and indigenous youths through infographics, video blogs and forums;
»» Conducts a Citizen’s Report project which aims at gathering information from the selected target groups about their elected representatives’ performances;
»» Conducts workshops to promote understanding of human rights and citizen activism to youths;
»» Develops a MyMP online website which provides information on Members of Parliament, tracks their comments and pledges on human rights issues and provides a platform for citizens’ engagement with their Members of Parliament;
»» Maintains a Resource Centre to increase youths’ accessibility to knowledge and information on human rights and civic education;
»» Provides a platform to promote civil society collaborations and engagements in the areas of human rights and citizen activisms.
• Strategic Litigation and media advocacy:
»» Carries out strategic litigation cases in the area of right to fair trial, freedom of religion, equality, and freedom of expression;
»» Conducts training workshops on strategic litigation to young lawyers;
»» Conducts training workshops on strategic litigation to the media;
»» Draws international attention to the strategic litigation cases taken up by the MCCHR;
»» Raises awareness and foster public discussion on strategic litigations cases.
Publications
• Report on laws and regulations governing civil society organizations in Malaysia
• Research on postal voting/absentee voting
• DIY [Do-It-Yourself] Toolkit (2011 onward)
• Infographics (available at www.undimsia.com)
• Series of articles on strategic litigation (available at www.loyarburok.com/category/pusatrakyatlb/)
Address
Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR)
3-4, 4th Floor, Jalan Bangsar Utama 3
59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ph/fax (603) 2241 1454
e-mail: pusatrakyatlb[a]loyarburok.com
www.loyarburok.com & www.undimsia.com
SUARAM
Year Established: 1989
Short Historical Background
1987 saw one of the most widespread crackdowns on social and political activists in living memory - Operasi Lalang. One hundred six opposition leaders, social activists, religious teachers and educationists were detained without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA). Many were detained for up to two years. When the last of the detainees were released in 1989, the Detainees’
Family Support Group, ISA detainees and other activists formed ‘Suara Rakyat Malaysia’ or SUARAM to campaign for the abolition of the ISA. What started as a single-issue campaign evolved into
an activist movement for human rights and democracy in the following years. Presently, SUARAM works towards the realization of fundamental liberties, democracy and justice in Malaysia.
Objectives
SUARAM’s main objective is the protection and realization of human rights in Malaysia regardless of the government-of-the-day.
Programs and Activities
• Monitoring and documentation of human rights - much of SUARAM’s work is in monitoring and documentation of human rights violations in Malaysia. The work consists of gathering information
from victims of human rights abuses, monitoring the media and reporting on political trends. SUARAM publishes the Malaysia Human Rights Report annually among other publications. It functions as an information center for human rights issues where information are compiled, analyzed and used in advocacy work.
SUARAM also plays a role in the Universal Periodic Review process of the United Nations Human Rights Council. In addition, SUARAM monitors the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
to ensure that it serves its functions to promote and protect human rights in Malaysia.
• Refugee Desk - SUARAM assists refugees in Malaysia as well as facilitates the safe passage for asylum seekers. The refugee desk works closely with the refugee communities in the country. In addition, the desk includes the documentation of abuses and violations of human rights of refugees.
• Right To Trial Desk - this desk is the heart of SUARAM, where it campaigns for the abolishment of the Internal Security Act (ISA), which led to the existence of SUARAM. This desk also campaigns
for the abolition of all draconian laws that allow detention without trial, namely the Internal Security Act (ISA), The Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA), the Emergency Ordinance (EO)
and the Dangerous Drug Act (DDA). SUARAM serves as the secretariat for the Abolish ISA Movement, better known as Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) to raise public awareness and build the movement to repeal the ISA. Now that the ISA and the EO have been repealed, this desk is striving to ensure the remaining ISA detainees are released and continues to be actively involved in campaigns and local lobby.
• Right to Justice Desk - one of SUARAM’s main areas of work is to campaign for police accountability. It handles cases of abuse of police authority, including violent police reaction towards peaceful assemblies, arbitrary detention of protesters, deaths in custody,
police beatings and police shootings. SUARAM is also currently advocating for the formation of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) in an effort to make the police
force more accountable and curb abuses of police authority. At the moment, SUARAM is the secretariat for the Stop State Violence movement, a group of civil organizations and groups that are working together to call for an end of abuses and wrongdoings by the authorities.
• Outreach and Events Desk - the Outreach and Events desk supports all coordinators within SUARAM in their respective campaigns. This desk also spearheads Friends of SUARAM, a group
dedicated to managing volunteers and supporters of the organization.
This desk also promotes SUARAM’s mission to the public; manages activities related to SUARAM’s outreach; organizes forums, film screenings, trainings and workshops; undertakes the publicity and promotion of SUARAM’s events, merchandises and publications; and manages SUARAM’s website and newsletter.
Publications
Videos
• Hak Anda & Kuasa Polis (Police Power & Your Rights), Directed by Ayam Fared (2011)
Books
• Malaysia Human Rights Report – annual
• May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969, Kua Kia Soong (2007)
• The End of Barisan Nasional? Malaysian Political Issues, Kua Kia Soong (2012)
• Patriots & Pretenders (Chinese Version), Kua Kia Soong (2011)
• Violence Against An Ethnic Minority in Malaysia: Kampung Medan, S. Nagarajan and K. Arumugam, 2001
• 445 Days Under ISA: Operation Lalang 1987-1989 (2010)
• Questioning Arm Spending In Malaysia - From Altantuya to Zikorsy (2010)
• Toni Kasim, Many Shades of Good, Kua Kia Soong, editor (2009)
• Critical Voices on Sustainable Development, Elizabeth Wong, editor (2002)
• Rakyat Dulu Untung Kemudian - Hak Komuniti-komuniti Malaysia Dalam Pembangunan (2003)
• A Wider Context of Sexual Exploitation of Penan Women and Girls in Middle and Ulu Baram, Sarawak, Malaysia (2010)
• Mob Rule - The East Timor Conference, Kua Kia Soong, editor (1998)
Address
SUARAM (Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd)
433A, Jalan 5/46,
Gasing Indah,
46000 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
ph (603) 7784 3525
fax (603) 7784 3526
e-mail: suaram[a]suaram.net
www.suaram.net
Facebook: Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
Twitter: SUARAM Tweets
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.