Press Statement:

Press Statement: 21 June 2010

Gov’t Must Act

Immediately on UN’s Call for the Repeal of Detention-without- Trial Laws and End to Detention of Refugees & Asylum Seekers


The initial

findings and recommendations of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) from its country visit to Malaysia from 7 to 18 June 2010 have added to the long list of recommendations and concerns pertaining to the Malaysian government’s legislations, policies and practices of arbitrary detention.


“Classic Cases of Arbitrary Detention” under ISA, EO, DDA, RRA Among its initial findings of its visit, the WGAD stated that it is “seriously concerned” about the existence and enforcement of laws which provide for detention without trial in Malaysia, namely the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Emergency
(Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance (EO), the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act (DDA), and the Restricted Residence Act (RRA).


The WGAD stated  that these laws “deny the detainee the right to a fair and public hearing” and
“severely restrict detainees’ access to legal counsel”.


During the press conference held by the WGAD on 18 June 2010, its Chairperson- Rapporteur El Hadji Malick Sow stated that detentions under the ISA, the EO, the DDA, and the RRA are “classic cases
of arbitrary detention”. The WGAD also noted with concern that “thousands of
people” are being detained under the EO and the DDA.


“Systematic” Detention of Refugees

Also of concern to the WGAD is the detention of refugees and asylum seekers. The WGAD’s
Chairperson- Rapporteur described the detention of refugees as “systematic”, noting that even refugees who are in possession of identity cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees are not exempted from arrests and detentions.


Malaysia’s non-ratification of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and non-recognition of the status of refugees and asylum seekers have resulted in the detention of many refugees under immigration laws in Malaysia for their alleged “illegal presence” in Malaysian territory. The WGAD noted that detainees who have served prison sentences under immigration laws are often held in immigration detention centres for an indefinite period while awaiting deportation to their countries of origin.


Recommendations Not New, No Reason for Delay in Implementation While the WGAD’s final report will only be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2011, its initial recommendations are clear enough for the government to make immediate efforts for improvements.


Furthermore,  similar recommendations have already been made in the past by other bodies – such as the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysian Police, and various UN member states. As such, there is no justification for the government not to implement the WGAD’s recommendations immediately, especially in view of its status as an elected member of the UN Human Rights Council. Moreover, since it was the Malaysian government that invited the WGAD for this visit, it must also be consistent with such commitment by implementing the recommendations made.


Repeal All Detention-without- Trial Laws 

On detention-without- trial laws, the WGAD recommended that the ISA, the EO, the DDA, and the RRA be repealed. The WGAD further noted that even if these laws are not repealed, the government must ensure that they are amended to the extent that they are in conformity with Article 10 of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights. Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights spells out the guarantees of the right of every individual to a fair trial.


In other words,
even if the government wishes to amend the detention-without- trial laws instead
of repealing them, the amendments must ensure that all persons must be accorded a fair trial before being detained.
This effectively means that the government must end its practice of detaining
individuals without trial.


Hence, while the government has announced its intention to amend the ISA, the EO, and the DDA,
any changes which will merely reduce the periods of detention – including the initial investigative period of
detention (currently 60 days) and the subsequent detention order by the Home
Ministry (currently 2 years) – would not adequately fulfill the recommendations
of the WGAD.


SUARAM thus strongly calls upon the government to immediately re-look into the proposed amendments to
all the detention-without- trial laws with additional consideration of the WGAD’s recommendations to do away with the practice of detaining individuals without trial. Ultimately, the ISA, the EO, the DDA, and the RRA must be
repealed.


At the same time, the government should immediately end the arrests made under the detention-without- trial
laws, and release all individuals who are currently detained under these laws or charge them in a fair and open court.


End Detention of Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Other Vulnerable Migrants

On the detention of immigrants, the WGAD stated that “detention of immigrants should be decided
upon by a court of law, on a case by case basis, and pursuant to clearly and exhaustively defined criteria in legislation”. The WGAD stressed that immigrants should have an effective remedy to challenge the necessity and legality of their detention at any time.


The WGAD also stressed that immigration detention should not be applied to refugees, asylum
seekers and vulnerable groups of migrants, including unaccompanied minors, families with minor children, pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, or people with serious and/or chronic physical or mental health problems.


The Malaysian government has also been urged by the WGAD to ratify the 1951 Convention relating to the
Status of Refugees, a recommendation which has already been made on numerous occasions by SUHAKAM as well as UN member states during the Universal Periodic Review of Malaysia in February 2009.


SUARAM strongly urges the government to immediately implement these recommendations, especially
in refraining from the arrests of refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups of migrants. The government should also immediately provide a concrete timeframe for the ratification of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.


Invite UN Experts in Other Areas Too
Lastly, while the WGAD expressed its gratitude towards the Malaysian government for its
invitation which made the visit possible, and while being fully aware of the fact that the visit of the WGAD as well as other Special Procedures Mandate Holders of the UN Human Rights Council cannot be made without the host government’s invitation, SUARAM wishes to point out that the WGAD had in fact
made a request for a country visit to Malaysia way back in 2008. It was only in early 2010 that the Malaysian government officially and publicly confirmed its acceptance of the WGAD’s request to visit Malaysia.


To date, the Malaysian government still has not responded to eight pending requests by other Special Procedures Mandate Holders, namely the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (request made in 2002); the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples (2005); the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion (2006); the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants (2006); the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism (2005); the Independent Expert on Minority Issues (2007 and 2009); the Special Rapporteur on Racism (2008); and Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (2009).


SUARAM therefore calls upon the Malaysian government to extend standing invitations to all
Special Procedures Mandate Holders of the UN Human Rights Council, with particular urgency in responding to the eight mandate holders which have made requests for country visits to Malaysia.




Released by,




John Liu
Coordinator