A boatful of hope for Rohingya refugees in Malaysia Often called the most friendless people in the world, the recent interception of 56 Rohingya refugees on a boat off the island of Langkawi is the latest entry in their never-ending saga. Forced out of their homes in Rakhine State, Myanmar under a slow genocide, their…
In his official letter to the Malaysian government dated 3 April 2018, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression David Kaye expresses his concerns on the Anti-Fake News Bill 2018, addressing the issues of vagueness, disproportionate penalties imposed upon offenders, extraterritorial application, and the drafting…
How to not draft a Fake News Law Jumping on the Donald Trump ‘fake news’ bandwagon, Law Minister Azalina Othman announced on 30 January 2018, the formation of a special committee to look into new legislation to curb fake news that could threaten political stability, public order and national security. Her announcement came on the…
Press Statement The Anti-Fake News law will be the death knell for freedom of speech in Malaysia 26 March 2018 Lawyers for Liberty are extremely concerned with the tabling in Parliament today of the Anti-Fake News Bill 2018. The Bill has far-reaching implications for democracy and human rights, and should it be passed, be the death knell…
Press Statement The AG must appeal the lenient ‘binding over’ sentence against Datin Rozita Mohamad Ali for causing grievous hurt to her domestic worker 16 March 2018 Lawyers for Liberty are shocked and appalled by the extremely lenient sentence of ‘binding over’ for good behaviour that was handed down to Datin Rozita Mohamad Ali for…
The trouble with MCMC’s ‘fake news’ crusade and the biggest personal data breach in our history In late October 2017, news began to spread of what would eventually come to be known as the biggest personal data breach in Malaysia’s history – the customer data of more than 46 million consumers of mobile phone subscribers (Altel,…
Amri Che Mat, Shia Muslims and national security in Malaysia Some 14 months after Amri Che Mat’s mysterious disappearance, his case appears no closer to being resolved. An ongoing inquiry by SUHAKAM has prompted a verbal back and forth between Norhayati Ariffin, the victim’s wife, and Perlis mufti, Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, with the…
When citizenship is politicised – the plight of the stateless in Malaysia Of all the tragedies to befall the stateless community in Malaysia, perhaps the greatest one is that they are treated as little more than a political gimmick, a useful way to earn votes as election season swings around. In May 2017, with the…
Press Statement Government’s special committee to combat ‘fake news’ raises serious concerns 2 February 2018 Lawyers for Liberty view with serious concern the recent announcement by Minister Azalina Othman Said that Putrajaya has formed a special committee to formulate laws to tackle ‘fake news’. While we agree that fabricated news content is a concern, the…
Transgender misrepresentation in the news media In the latest twist to the ongoing Nur Sajat saga, the well-known cosmetic entrepreneur bemoaned the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the public preoccupation over her gender identity. ‘This gender issue…is like the country’s biggest issue,’ she wrote in Malay on her Facebook page. She continued. ‘Should Nur…
Gambaran yang salah oleh media berita terhadap transgender Dalam perkembangan terbaharu saga Nur Sajat, usahawan kosmetik yang terkenal tersebut menyuarakan kerunsingan beliau terhadap keasyikan Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) dan orang awam terhadap identiti jantinanya. ‘Issues jantina ini…ibarat issues masalah besar dalam negara..’ ujarnya di dalam kemaskini status halaman Facebook beliau. ‘Tetapi patut ker issues…
Press Statement MCMC must address data security instead of persecuting social media users 24 January 2018 Lawyers for Liberty are deeply concerned with the continuous misused of power by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in persecuting social media users, the latest being DAP MP Nga Kor Ming and Pakatan Harapan’s Terengganu Women’s Wing Treasurer…
PRESS STATEMENT The police must strictly observe SOPs to prevent any further deaths in custody 20 January 2018 Lawyers for Liberty refer to the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission’s (EAIC) findings on the custodial death investigations of S. Balamurugan and Soh Kai Chiok as released through their press statements on 18 January 2018. In these statements,…
PRESS STATEMENT Set up a credible Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Wang Kelian mass graves and subsequent cover-up 20 December 2017 Lawyers for Liberty refer to the New Straits Times report today “Was there a cover-up in Wang Kelian?” on the discovery of mass graves of human trafficking victims in Wang Kelian, Perlis…
PRESS STATEMENT Police should cease investigating Professor Shad Faruqi 19 December 2017 Lawyers for Liberty view with extreme concern the criminal investigation against Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi regarding his article “Religious Radicalism on the Rise” published in The Star on 23 November 2017, which criticised the Malaysian Islamic Strategic Research Institute’s (IKSIM) stance on Islam…