Malaysia : PM Najib launches new human rights action plan

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's  Prime Minister Najib Razak today launched the National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP), demonstrating Malaysia's commitment to guarantee and safeguard human rights in the country.

He said the NHRAP would help transform government efforts to strengthen human rights in the country.

It was also in line with the agenda and vision of the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) initiative, which had gathered the people's views, feedback and aspirations to ensure the success of its implementation, he said.

"The NHRAP, I am proud to say, is a comprehensive plan that has taken into account the aspirations of the people, and is based on the Malaysian mould," he said at its launch at the Perdana Putra building here.

Najib said the NHRAP document, developed in accordance with international standards with reference to the United Nations guidelines, outlined five key thrusts.

The first was civil and political rights, with the prime minister citing as example the abolition of the Internal Security Act 1960 and the formation of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 during his tenure.

"Obviously, there will be no repeat of our concern as in the case of Ops Lalang," he said, referring to the security crackdown of 1987.

He added that the government's abolition of the mandatory death sentence for convicted drug traffickers under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 had elicited praise from the European Union.

Najib said the second thrust of the NHRAP was economic, social and cultural rights which included the right to basic needs, education and cultural practices.

The third was the rights of vulnerable people which focused on five groups, namely women, children, the disabled, senior citizens and refugees, he said.

"For example, the government introduced the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017, which led to the establishment of the first Court on Sexual Crimes against Children, not only in Malaysia but also in Southeast Asia," he said.