Introduction On 7 May 2011, the Australian and Malaysian governments announced a bilateral agreement which sought to transfer up to 800 asylum seekers who have arrived in Australia by sea to Malaysia while their asylum claims are being processed by the UNHCR. The announcement declared among others that the “transferees will not receive any preferential treatment over asylum seekers…
The counsel for late Kugan’s family questioned the impartiality of the MMC inquiry. KUALA LUMPUR: The lawyers representing the family of A Kugan who died in police custody were taken aback when an expert witness turned up to testify on behalf of a pathologist. They cast doubts on the independence of the expert, Dr Mohd…
Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohammed Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak Office of the Prime Minister Main Block, Perdana Putra Building Federal Government Administrative Centre 62502 Putrajaya, Malaysia Via facsimile, email Re: Refugee/Asylum Seeker Exchange Agreement with Australia Dear Mr. Prime Minister: We are writing to express our grave concerns about the planned agreement under which…
On 15 June 2011, 11:00 am, Zunar will be filing a civil suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court against the government and the police for his unlawful arrest and detention, and seizure of his books Cartoon-O-Phobia and an original political cartoon drawing in September 2010. Among others, he will be seeking exemplary and aggravated…
The families of the three youths, including a 15-year old, allegedly forced to kneel before they were shot to death in cold blood have rejected the police’s call for an inquest into their deaths. Speaking through their lawyers, N Surendran and legal rights group Lawyers for Liberty, the families reiterated their demand that all the…
Malaysia’s move to exempt 800 boatpeople from its immigration laws has led to activists questioning the preferential treatment. PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s decision to grant the 800 boatpeople sent from Australia exemption from its immigration laws has been met with hostility from local activist groups. The Australian media yesterday reported that the asylum seekers would not…
We refer to the announcement by Selangor CPO Deputy Comm Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah that police have called for an inquest into the fatal police shooting of Mohd Shamil Hafiz(15), Hairul Nizam Tuah (20). Mohd Hanafi Omar (22) on 13.11.2010 at Glenmarie. On behalf of the families of the victims, we reject the call for an inquest into these…
According to the post-mortem report, at least one of the three youths was kneeling when police shot him, N Surendran tells reporters. PETALING JAYA: It was murder in cold blood, according to a lawyer for the families of three youths whom police shot dead in Glenmarie last year. Addressing a press conference at the PKR…
PETALING JAYA, June 9 — Post-mortem reports on three youths showed they were kneeling when they were shot by policemen last year, a legal rights group said today. Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) claimed today that the three were executed. Prominent lawyer and LFL co-ordinator N. Surendran (picture)told reporters at the PKR headquarters here that according…
PETALING JAYA: The residents of Bukit Jalil estate claimed another “official vandalism” took place yesterday when nearly 30 Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers tore their banners. It all took place in the presence of nearly 20 police officers. The estate action committee treasurer K Balakrishnan said that DBKL officers arrived at the estate at…
Malaysian activists condemned police on Saturday for using marker pens to “brand” 30 suspected prostitutes with large crosses on their foreheads. Newspaper pictures published on Friday of the 29 Chinese and one Vietnamese arrested in a vice raid on a high-end nightclub on the holiday island of Penang sparked outrage among rights groups who demanded…
Weak Protections as Global Body Finalizes Comprehensive Standards (Geneva, May 31, 2011) – A revised agreement between Malaysia and Indonesia provides some benefits for migrant domestic workers but fails to provide some needed safeguards linked to low wages and high recruitment fees, Human Rights Watch said today. A series of high-profile abuse cases led Indonesia in June 2009 to ban new…
KUALA LUMPUR: Four NGOs -Suaram, Bar Council, Loyar Burok, Lawyers for Liberty- would be filing a judicial review to challenge the detention of three youths under the Emergency Ordinance. Muhamad Arif Abu Samah, 20, was placed under EO in Mersing this month.Two brothers – Mohamed Ramadan Mohamed Ali, 22, and Mohamad Rafe, 20, were placed…
Malaysian High Court judge Mohamad Zadidin Mohd Diah ruled on Monday that the prosecution had established a prima facie case in the trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and rejected an application by defence lawyers to dismiss the charge of sodomy. The ruling, like the case itself, was a highly political one. Prime Minister Najib Razak’s…
The past week has brought home that the Labor government can’t claim a shred of principle on asylum policy any more. It has shamed itself repeatedly and in a most hypocritical way. Those who condemned the Pacific solution have embraced a Malaysian one. The people who said Nauru was unacceptable for offshore processing in part…