MACSA releases Joint Submission for Stakeholders Information 2018 in anticipation of Malaysia’s 3rd UPR Before The UNHRC

In conjunction with the recent celebration of our 61st Merdeka Day and in anticipation of Malaysia’s pending Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) this November, being its 3rd to date, we are pleased to grant access for the viewing of the Malaysian public MACSA’s Joint Submission for Stakesholder’s Information 2018.

This report encapsulates the review and research of Malaysia’s human rights situation and obligations as regards previous UPRs as undertaken by our team here at MACSA and has been submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council on 29 March 2018 for its consideration during Malaysia’s forthcoming 3rd cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. It gives us great pleasure in making the same available to you for viewing at your leisure. We invite your comments thereon as well, just drop us a line anytime.

Being fellow Malaysians, we recognise and are fully cognisant of the fact that all citizens, regardless of creed or origin are all stakeholders in this nation of ours. As such, we welcome any constructive feedback on the contents of our report. This is in order that rapid advancement of the human rights cause in Malaysia may be had and greater enjoyment of rights and freedoms for all may be achieved taking into account what is possible and permissible by the Federal Constitution. Let us all work hand in hand for the sake of our nation.

Looking back at what has come to pass throughout our first year of service as MACSA’s co-chairpersons, we are glad if not relieved as well as grateful to Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala, that we are here at this point at last. Our report is the first of its kind in the world to be submitted by a coalition of mostly, but by no means exclusively, Muslim civil society organisations concerned not just with the welfare and rights of Muslims but that of all Malaysians. We are humbled daily by the resilience and the success of the NGO representatives we work with, continually amazed by the united team at MACSA and inspired by the possibility of the future.

Ours is a report that is inclusive in addressing as well as highlighting the human rights concerns of various communities in particular marginalised and minority racial and groups as well as specific concerns of various communities such as consumers, employees, and not forgetting of course the disabled. It is also extensive in scope and touches upon those rights that have either coincidentally or deliberately neglected by other human rights coalitions, such as discrimination against Muslim women, the religious rights of LGBT persons, the plight of refugees and stateless persons, as well as many more.

We are ever mindful that this report would not have been possible without the tireless dedication of our fellow activists at MACSA who have worked diligently for the Malaysia that we all love. We therefore take this occasion also to express our sincerest gratitude to them all. We are immensely grateful to those individuals and coalition partners whose sincerity, enthusiasm and support sustain us.

The accomplishments over the past few years and the work ahead depends on the continued support and contributions of our partners and dedicated activists. As such we on behalf of MACSA would also take this opportunity to invite all Malaysians who are passionate about human rights and are interested in working with us for their realisation within our constitutional and local context, to join us in building a better Malaysia for ourselves, our families, our friends and most importantly, our children.

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Azril Mohd Amin

Chief Executive, CENTHRA and Chairperson, MACSA

Associate Professor Dr. Rafidah Hanim Mokhtar

President, WAFIQ and co-chairperson, MACSA