HAKAM

20/06/2026

HAKAM Statement on World Refugee Day 2026 : Until Everyone is Safe

On World Refugee Day 2026, we stand in solidarity with refugees around the world who have been forced to flee persecution, conflict, violence, and grave human rights violations. We also take this opportunity to reaffirm the fundamental principle that every person, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, or immigration status, is entitled to dignity, safety, and basic human rights.

In Malaysia, public discourse surrounding refugees has become increasingly hostile, particularly towards the Rohingya community. In the recent months, anti-Rohingya rhetoric has proliferated across social media platforms, public forums, and online discussions. Refugees are frequently portrayed as a threat, scapegoated for broader social and economic challenges, and subjected to harmful stereotypes that fuel fear, prejudice, and discrimination.

While legitimate discussions on migration management, public resources, and government policy are important, they must never be used to justify hatred, dehumanisation, or collective blame. The actions of individuals should not be used to condemn an entire community, particularly one that has itself endured decades of persecution, statelessness, and displacement.

The Rohingya are among the world's most persecuted peoples. Many arrived in Malaysia seeking safety after fleeing violence and systematic discrimination in Myanmar. Their presence here reflects a humanitarian crisis, not a criminal one. Yet too often, public narratives erase their experiences and reduce them to caricatures that undermine their humanity.
We are deeply concerned by the growing normalisation of xenophobic language directed at refugees and migrants. Such rhetoric not only harms vulnerable communities but also weakens the values of compassion, justice, and respect that underpin a diverse and inclusive society. History has repeatedly demonstrated the dangers of allowing prejudice and dehumanisation to take root unchecked.

This World Refugee Day is a reminder that refugees are not defined solely by their displacement. They are workers, parents, students, neighbours, and community members who seek the same opportunities for safety and dignity as anyone else. Many contribute meaningfully to Malaysian society despite significant legal and social barriers.
We therefore call upon:
•Government authorities to ensure that refugee-related policies are grounded in human rights and humanitarian principles;
•Media organisations and public figures to report on refugee issues responsibly and avoid narratives that stigmatise entire communities;
•Social media platforms to take meaningful action against hate speech and incitement targeting refugees and migrants; and
•Members of the public to reject misinformation, challenge xenophobia, and engage in discussions about refugees with empathy and respect.

On this World Refugee Day, we urge Malaysians to look beyond fear and division. A society is ultimately judged not by how it treats the powerful, but by how it treats those who are most vulnerable. Upholding the dignity and rights of refugees does not diminish the rights of others, it strengthens our shared commitment to humanity and justice as no one is safe until everyone is safe.

Dato' Sri M Ramachelvam
President
National Human Rights Society (HAKAM)
20 June 2026

30/05/2026

HAKAM Statement on the Public Inquiry into the Taiping Prison Incident and Prison Reform in Malaysia

1. The findings of the Public Inquiry into the Taiping Prison Incident have once again brought public attention to the conditions faced by prisoners in Malaysia and the urgent need for significant prison reform. While the inquiry focused on a specific incident, the issues raised extend beyond one facility and point towards broader structural challenges within Malaysia’s correctional system.

2. Prison reform should not be viewed solely through the lens of criminal justice, but also as a matter of human dignity, public policy, and human rights. The treatment of prisoners reflects the values of society itself and tests the ability of institutions to uphold fundamental rights, even in restrictive environments.

3. There remains a misconception that imprisonment itself justifies harsh conditions or treatment and that all those imprisoned are deserving of such conditions. This misconception often assumes that prison populations consist exclusively of individuals convicted of serious or violent crimes. The reality is considerably more complex. Individuals may enter detention or be imprisoned for a wide range of reasons including the inability to pay fines, minor offences, immigration-related detention, remand pending trial, or other non-violent offences.

4. Imprisonment is itself the punishment imposed by the courts. Inhumane treatment, unsafe living conditions, violence, neglect, or degrading treatment should never form part of the sentence regardless of the offence committed. Regardless of why an individual is detained, deprivation of liberty should not equate to deprivation of dignity or fundamental rights.

5. The findings from the inquiry raise grave concerns regarding overcrowding, living conditions, institutional accountability, and the treatment of detainees. These challenges are not unique to a single institution and require broader reforms aimed at preventing recurrence.

6. The United Nations Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners establish that all prisoners shall be treated with respect for their inherent dignity and value as human beings, and that imprisonment should not deprive individuals of fundamental rights beyond those necessarily limited by incarceration itself. Similarly, the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT), which Malaysia is yet to ratify, reinforces the principle that torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment can never be justified under any circumstances. These principles serve as important benchmarks in assessing prison conditions and state obligations. HAKAM urges the Government to ratify the convention with immediacy.

7. HAKAM notes that families of the prisoners lodged 46 police reports, and that investigation papers were opened, in respect of the death of Mr. Gan Chin Eng, attributed to blunt force trauma and coronary atherosclerosis as well as into the alleged assaults of other inmates. Allegations of abuse, violence, and misconduct in custody must be investigated thoroughly and transparently. HAKAM urges the police to maintain clear, regular communication about the investigations and their outcomes.

8. The findings arising from the Taiping Prison inquiry present serious concerns that cannot be dismissed as operational failures or isolated misconduct. Allegations of abuse, degrading treatment, and deaths in custody require sustained scrutiny and proper intervention. A correctional system that fails to safeguard the dignity and rights of those under its control risks undermining both public confidence and the principles of justice it is intended to uphold.

Dato’ Sri M Ramachelvam
President
National Human Rights Society (HAKAM)
28 May 2026

14/04/2026

[Rountable on Strengthening Judicial Independence and Appointment Process]

Date: 16 April 2026
Time: 2.30pm-5pm
Venue: Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium, Level 2, Wisma Badan Peguam Malaysia, 2 Leboh Pasar Besar, 50050 Kuala Lumpur.

27/03/2026

📢 SAVE THE DATE!

CSO Platform for Reform with Bar Council Civil Law and Law Reform Committee and National Human Rights Society (HAKAM), invites you to a timely Roundtable on Strengthening Judicial Independence and the Appointments Process.

In Malaysia's evolving governance landscape, an independent judiciary is the bedrock of justice, accountability, and the rule of law. Join key stakeholders, legal experts, and civil society to discuss actionable pathways for enhancing transparency, merit-based appointments, and safeguards against interference.

📅 Thursday, 16 April 2026
🕒 Time: 2:30 PM- 5:00 PM
📍 Venue: Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium,
2nd Floor, Wisma Badan Peguam Malaysia, 2, Leboh
Pasar Besar, 50050 Kuala Lumpur

Spaces limited—Registration details will be shared soon.

19/03/2026

[Respect, History, and the Rule of Law: Reconsidering the Treatment of Hindu Temples]

‘… [W]e have been able to maintain peace because we respect each other.’1

Those wise and enduring words were spoken by Malaysia’s Father of Independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman, during a speech delivered to students of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. In that address, Tunku reminded the young generation that the strength of Malaysia has never rested solely on laws, institutions, or economic progress, but on a deeper civic ethic, mutual respect among communities of different faiths, cultures, and traditions.

His words were not merely a reflection of the harmony Malaysia had achieved in the decades after independence, but also a guiding principle for the nation’s future: that peace in a diverse society must be consciously nurtured through restraint, understanding, and fidelity to the rule of law. Recent developments serve as a timely reminder of the relevance of that principle.

Over the past few months, the nation has witnessed the treatment of Hindu places of worship. In a diverse and plural society, the handling of matters involving faith, identity, and historical belonging must be approached with great care and sensitivity. Our constitutional framework promises equality before the law and guarantees the freedom of religion. Yet the true measure of these commitments lies not in the text of legal provisions alone, but in how we respond to sensitive issues affecting vulnerable communities.

While the need for orderly land governance cannot be denied, the manner in which these issues have unfolded, including enforcement actions, public debate, and recent legal developments such as the quashing of police remand orders linked to tensions surrounding a temple in Rawang, reveals a climate of anxiety.

In this context, it is worth reiterating the longstanding call by HAKAM for the Government of Malaysia to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).7 Ratification would not only strengthen Malaysia’s commitment to the protection of fundamental liberties, but also signal to the international community that the nation remains steadfast in upholding universal human rights standards.

Dato’ Sri M Ramachelvam President
National Human Rights Society (Hakam)

18/12/2025

HAKAM INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAY 2025 STATEMENT
MIGRANTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF SOCIETY

At the heart of the International Migrants Day 2025 theme: “My Great Story: Cultures and Development”, HAKAM wishes to recognize how migrants have driven growth and development in Malaysia and enriched society including helping communities to connect, adapt and support one another.

On this day dedicated to migrants, let us together remember the migrants who left families, friends and their lives behind to travel to unfamiliar nations, to survive, to earn, to contribute to host nations and their respective countries, and remembering those enduring hardship, exploitation, wage theft, unsanitary living conditions and violence.

In an ever-growing environment of dissent against migrants often fueled by economic anxieties, political rhetoric, and media narratives, migrants remain an integral part of society contributing economically to Malaysia and their countries of origin.

HAKAM takes the opportunity to commend the Government of Malaysia on the following key achievements:

1. The increasing of the national minimum wage to RM1,700 per month, on Feb 2025;

2. The alignment of the Sabah and Sarawak Labour Ordinances with labour laws in Peninsular Malaysia, enforced from 1 May 2025;

3. Malaysia’s ratification (on June 2024 and enter into force on June 2025) of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention C155 on Occupational Safety and Health, 1981, to strengthen national laws and policies on safe and healthy workplaces for all workers;

4. Launching of Malaysia’s first National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR 2025 – 2030) in August 2025, with a focus on eliminating forced labour by 2030; and

5. The passing of the Employees’ Social Security (Amendment) Act 2025 in early Dec 2025 which essentially provides comprehensive coverage to all workers 24 hours including outside working hours through PERKESO’s Non-Occupational Accident Safety Scheme also known as Lindung 24 Jam or 24/7 Protection scheme.

HAKAM also commends the Government of Malaysia’s ongoing efforts on the following:
1. The drafting of the National Action Plan 4.0 (2026 – 2030) to combat human trafficking. We also congratulate Malaysia in retaining its Tier 2 in the USTIP review;

2. The drafting of the National Action Plan on Forced Labour 2.0 (2026 – 2030) in line with Malaysia ratification of the ILO Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, committing to take effective measures to prevent and eliminate forced labour by 2030; and

3. The review of more than 20 outdated labour laws to align with international standards and address gaps in the laws.
HAKAM further reiterates its call the Government of Malaysia to accede to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (ICMW),the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers 2011(C 189); and related instruments to ensure that the fundamental human rights of Migrant Workers and their families are protected and preserved.

Lastly HAKAM records its appreciation to YB Tuan Sim Chee Keong for engaging members of HAKAM and other stakeholders during his tenure as the Minister of Human Resources.

We congratulate and welcome YB Dato’ Sri Ramanan Ramakrishnan on his appointment as Minister of Human Resources and HAKAM looks forward to continue the engagement with the Honourable Minister.

12/12/2025

The "Justice for the Disappeared - Understanding the human rights impact of the Raymond Koh & Amri Che Mat decisions" seminar heard the from leading voices, legal experts, and families fighting for truth and accountability. A ccrucial conversation on enforced disappearances and justice in Malaysia.

HAKAM reaffirms our commitment to this cause. We will continue to advocate, to speak, and to stand beside the families. HAKAM will continue pressing for structural reforms to ensure these tragic cases are never repeated, and that no family in Malaysia is ever again left in the dark, unheard and unseen.

12/12/2025

‘Nothing to do with race’: Lawyers explain why court ordered RM3m in Amri’s case, RM36m in Raymond Koh’s case

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 — Did you wonder why the High Court had last month ordered the Malaysian government to pay two different compensation amounts over the abductions of...

10/12/2025

HAKAM’s Human Rights Day Message 2025