• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Emergency restrictions in Malaysia should not be used to further reinforce political power: FORUM-ASIA, SUARAM, KOMAS

by The Online Citizen
14/01/2021
in Civil Society, Malaysia
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

Panoramic image of skyscraper at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysia’s recent declaration of a state of emergency risks compromising the rights of its people and its systems for accountability, said the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and its Malaysia member organisations, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) and Pusat Komas (KOMAS), in a statement on Thursday (14 Jan).

A nation-wide emergency was announced on 12 January in Malaysia. The state of emergency will remain in place until 1 August, unless COVID-19 cases are brought under control.

The state of emergency follows the declaration of a Movement Control Order (MCO) just a day prior.

The MCO would cover the states of Penang, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, and Sabah, and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan, with other states under conditional MCO.

The MCO, which lasts two weeks, imposes a travel ban and prohibits mass gatherings.

“We support the implementation of effective and humane measures to protect public health at a time of crisis. However, any emergency decree or policy should abide by international standards of legality, proportionality and necessity. In this case, the state of emergency, on top of an existing MCO raises questions on what it really aims to achieve,” said Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu, Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA.

Amidst escalating frictions between the Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government and political parties, the organisations argue that these would only reinforce Muhyiddin’s hold on power.

A state of emergency would bar elections. It also deters Parliament from convening and allows the government to introduce new laws without scrutiny, thus preventing any form of checks and balances, which are particularly important as the nation faces a pandemic.

“A state of emergency has the foremost consequence of compromising Parliamentary scrutiny and elections – otherwise crucial aspects undergirding a functioning democracy. While an election exacerbates public health risks in this pandemic, the right to elections remains sacrosanct to democracy,” said Ryan Chua, Programme Director of KOMAS.

He continued, “It is the incontrovertible truth that the right to vote must prevail above all crises. To that end, this government should turn to modern and health compliant methods to guarantee the realisation of the right to vote.

“Undue influence derived from emergency powers would inadvertently grant this government the ability to exert a surplus of powers. Such exercise of powers would cause entrenched effects detrimental to the realisation of human rights.”

The groups also raised the lack of transparency on the decision to impose a state of emergency.

“The government has the responsibility to be accountable for its decisions. There were no public discussions on how the government came to this. It raises concerns that they can continue to make decisions without any transparency or public scrutiny in the next months. It is a precursor of what’s to come,” said Sevan Doraisamy, Executive Director of SUARAM.

FORUM-ASIA’s research has shown a trend in which governments in Asia have used emergency powers to violate human rights and to consolidate power, through increased militarisation and disproportionate restrictions.

“Civil society and the public should continue to monitor this government and hold them accountable for any decisions they make. We should all remain vigilant and ensure that we do not lose our hard fought freedoms because of this. The government should get the message that we are all watching,” said the groups.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.
Tags: FORUM-ASIAKOMASSUARAM

Related Posts

Sri Lanka: Crackdown on Fundamental Freedoms and Against Peoples’ Movements
Civil Society

Sri Lanka: Crackdown on Fundamental Freedoms and Against Peoples’ Movements

22/09/2022
Human rights groups call for Thai authorities to end the use of disproportionate and unnecessary force against protesters
Asia

Human rights groups call for Thai authorities to end the use of disproportionate and unnecessary force against protesters

30/08/2021
Rohingya wary as Myanmar’s anti-junta resistance reaches out
Asia

ASEAN’s humanitarian aid to Myanmar must not legitimise military junta: Progressive Voice & FORUM-ASIA

04/08/2021
S’pore yet to address civic freedom gaps ahead of UN review: human rights groups
Civil Society

S’pore yet to address civic freedom gaps ahead of UN review: human rights groups

27/04/2021
FORUM-ASIA and CIVICUS call on Thai govt to abide by principles of necessity and proportionality, end judicial harassment of protesters
Asia

FORUM-ASIA and CIVICUS call on Thai govt to abide by principles of necessity and proportionality, end judicial harassment of protesters

23/03/2021
Civil Society

India: Repeal the Foreign Contributions (Regulations) Act (FCRA) immediately

13/10/2020
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

02/02/2023
India’s Adani shares plunge again after stock sale cancelled

India’s Adani empire loses more than $100 bn after fraud claims

02/02/2023
Former political prisoners calls for abolishment of ISA and apology from PAP Govt on 60th anniversary of Operation Coldstore

Former political prisoners calls for abolishment of ISA and apology from PAP Govt on 60th anniversary of Operation Coldstore

02/02/2023
Indian state picks new capital after kicking out Singapore consortium

Indian state picks new capital after kicking out Singapore consortium

02/02/2023
Anwar says Malaysia “not in hurry” to reinstate GST as he vowed to protect the low-and middle-income groups

Anwar says Malaysia “not in hurry” to reinstate GST as he vowed to protect the low-and middle-income groups

02/02/2023
Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

02/02/2023
Malaysian cleaner sells his land to donate two dialysis machines worth RM 80k to the dialysis centre he works at

Malaysian cleaner sells his land to donate two dialysis machines worth RM 80k to the dialysis centre he works at

02/02/2023
Gautam Adani: the Indian tycoon weathering stock market panic

Gautam Adani: the Indian tycoon weathering stock market panic

02/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
41

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
59

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
69

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
30

...

January 2021
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Dec   Feb »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz