Malaysia’s parliament proposes refugee legislation, stronger Suhakam powers and citizenship reforms to enhance human rights protections.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat today proposed several improvements to strengthen human rights protection, including the enactment of a new law to regulate refugee affairs and empowering the statutory authority of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM).
During the debate on the motion on SUHAKAM’s 2024 Annual Report and Financial Statement, several Members of Parliament also raised other proposals, including requiring ministries and government agencies to provide official responses to SUHAKAM’s recommendations, increasing financial allocations and improving complaint monitoring mechanisms for more effective resolution.
Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) proposed that the government review the SUHAKAM Act to strengthen the commission’s statutory powers, including allowing it to conduct investigations without prior notice, obtain wider access to documents and information, and enhance the effectiveness of its monitoring functions.
He said nearly 60% of the 1,074 complaints received by SUHAKAM in 2024 were still under investigation or awaiting feedback from relevant agencies, and urged every ministry and agency to provide official responses to the commission’s recommendations.
“The government should expedite the tabling of the Freedom of Information Bill and increase financial allocations to SUHAKAM so that the commission can carry out its mandate more effectively, particularly following the increase in the number of complaints received,” he said.
Meanwhile, Datuk Dr Richard Rapu @ Aman Anak Begri (GPS-Betong) said the number of complaints received by SUHAKAM increased from 649 in 2023 to 1,074 in 2024, with most involving issues related to refugees, documentation and citizenship.
In this regard, he proposed the establishment of an inter-ministerial resolution mechanism involving the Home Ministry (KDN), National Registration Department, Immigration Department, Royal Malaysia Police and SUHAKAM, while making complaint resolution rates a key performance indicator (KPI).
Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (UPKO-Tuaran) proposed that the government enact a “Malaysia Refugee Act” as a comprehensive legal framework to regulate refugee management in the country, including matters related to registration, documentation, rights and responsibilities of refugees as well as government jurisdiction.
He said Malaysia had been receiving refugees for more than five decades, but still did not have specific legislation to regulate the issue, causing refugee management to depend on current administrative policies that might change according to the government in power.
Issues relating to prisons and detention centres were also raised during the session, including concerns over overcrowded facilities, ageing infrastructure, deaths in custody, as well as the welfare of detainees and inmates.
Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (PN-Langkawi) questioned the effectiveness of inmate rehabilitation modules that had not been updated for more than 15 years, resulting in former inmates, especially drug addicts, committing offences again.
“Many prisons, such as Taiping Prison, are categorised as no longer suitable for operation and have been proposed to be renovated into museums under the prison reform agenda,” he said.
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) questioned issues involving deaths in custody as well as at training centres operated by the military, police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, saying such incidents should not continue to recur.
Meanwhile, Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh) proposed that the government establish a special committee to review and simplify the citizenship application process, particularly to assist children and young people who were stateless due to parental negligence.
She said most citizenship applications by Malaysian mothers were understood to have been approved, but amendments to the Federal Constitution on the matter, which were passed by Parliament in December 2024, had yet to come into force.
Kok said the situation had resulted in children born overseas to Malaysian mothers not obtaining citizenship automatically, forcing the mothers to return to Malaysia to give birth to ensure their children were eligible for Malaysian citizenship.
A total of 21 government and Opposition MPs took part in the debate, while winding-up speeches by the ministries involved are scheduled to take place tomorrow.
Earlier, the motion was tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, who urged all parties to give attention to the recommendations, views and proposals contained in the report.
She said the government recognised SUHAKAM’s role in promoting and protecting human rights in the country, while describing the enforcement of the SUHAKAM (Amendment) Act 2024 and the establishment of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner as steps to strengthen the commission’s functions in addressing increasingly complex human rights issues.
According to Azalina, the annual report also highlighted various issues involving workers’ rights, vulnerable groups, children, women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, as well as social and economic issues requiring the attention of all parties.
“The government will continue to study the recommendations put forward by SUHAKAM and strengthen cooperation with all ministries, agencies and stakeholders to ensure the human rights promotion and protection agenda continues to be enhanced in line with the aspirations of Malaysia MADANI,” she said.
The Dewan Rakyat sitting resumes tomorrow.
