Latest news with #TengkuMohamedFauzi
New Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Suhakam calls for Asean legal framework to tackle gender discrimination in business
KUALA LUMPUR: Asean must work towards a cohesive and enforceable legal framework to eliminate gender-based discrimination in the business sector, said Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Vice-Chairperson Tengku Mohamed Fauzi Tengku Abdul Hamid today (June 30). He said that the region still lacks binding legislation and institutional accountability to effectively address gender-related harms in business environments. "Our legal frameworks remain fragmented. Without enforceable laws, gender equality continues to be more aspirational than operational," he said at the Regional Workshop on Gender Lens Perspective on Business and Human Rights in Asean, here. Tengku Mohamed Fauzi said that women in the region continue to face unregulated discrimination in recruitment, contract negotiations, and promotions, particularly in the private sector and without binding legislation and institutional accountability, gender equality remains aspirational and operational. He added that the Asean Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, endorsed by all Asean member states, could serve as a foundation to address gender-specific issues, especially concerning migrant women in business contexts. Meanwhile, Malaysia's Representative to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), Edmund Bon Tai Soon, urged Asean to move beyond fragmented national efforts and adopt a shared regional framework that holds both governments and businesses accountable to clear and consistent gender rights standards. "Having a legal framework is very crucial. We are a diverse region, but we must develop a framework, especially now that Malaysia has led the adoption of the new Asean Community Vision 2045, which commits to uplifting and protecting the rights of women and children," he said. Bon also emphasised that beyond policies and laws, genuine progress requires strong political will and commitment from Asean leaders. He said companies must ensure their internal policies reflect principles found in national laws and those policies must be respected in practice, not just on paper. The two-day regional workshop, which began on June 30, explores how a regional gender lens framework can address gender-based barriers, confront structural and cultural discrimination, and strengthen the protection of the rights of women and girls across Asean. The event is jointly supported by Asean Member States through the AICHR Fund, the Government of Japan through the Japan-Asean Integration Fund (JAIF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and organised in collaboration with Malaysia's ministries, agencies and Suhakam. — BERNAMA
Barnama
21 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
SUHAKAM Calls For ASEAN Legal Framework To Tackle Gender Discrimination In Business
By Muhammad Fawwaz Thaqif Nor Afandi KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- ASEAN must work towards a cohesive and enforceable legal framework to eliminate gender-based discrimination in the business sector, said Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) Vice-Chairperson Tengku Mohamed Fauzi Tengku Abdul Hamid on Monday. He said that the region still lacks binding legislation and institutional accountability to effectively address gender-related harms in business environments. bootstrap slideshow 'Our legal frameworks remain fragmented. Without enforceable laws, gender equality continues to be more aspirational than operational,' he said at the Regional Workshop on Gender Lens Perspective on Business and Human Rights in ASEAN, here. Tengku Mohamed Fauzi said that women in the region continue to face unregulated discrimination in recruitment, contract negotiations, and promotions, particularly in the private sector and without binding legislation and institutional accountability, gender equality remains aspirational and operational. He added that the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, endorsed by all ASEAN member states, could serve as a foundation to address gender-specific issues, especially concerning migrant women in business contexts. Meanwhile, Malaysia's Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), Edmund Bon Tai Soon, urged ASEAN to move beyond fragmented national efforts and adopt a shared regional framework that holds both governments and businesses accountable to clear and consistent gender rights standards. 'Having a legal framework is very crucial. We are a diverse region, but we must develop a framework, especially now that Malaysia has led the adoption of the new ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which commits to uplifting and protecting the rights of women and children,' he said. Bon also emphasised that beyond policies and laws, genuine progress requires strong political will and commitment from ASEAN leaders.
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
‘Systemic failures persist in tackling human trafficking'
GEORGE TOWN: Nearly a decade after the discovery of mass graves in Wang Kelian shocked the nation, the Human Rights Commission has warned that systemic weaknesses continue to undermine the country's anti-trafficking efforts. Its vice-chairman Tengku Mohamed Fauzi Tengku Abdul Hamid described Malaysia's unresolved institutional failures as a source of human suffering and urged concrete action. 'The souls buried in Wang Kelian cry not just for remembrance, but also for accountability,' he said during a keynote address at the launch of Mass Graves, a book by veteran journalist Datuk Arulldas Sinnappan documenting the 2015 tragedy. The book chronicles the discovery of 139 graves across 28 abandoned human trafficking camps near the Malaysia–Thailand border in Perlis. Each grave was believed to contain three to four bodies, many wrapped in white cloth in accordance with Muslim burial traditions. Victims were reportedly starved and tortured. Arulldas, who uncovered the graves after a tip-off, details the discovery of remains believed to belong to Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals trafficked and held in jungle camps. A Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) held in 2019 found evidence of serious negligence in border monitoring but did not implicate any Malaysian officials in trafficking operations. The report was initially classified under the Official Secrets Act, with limited sections made public in 2022 before being taken down. The RCI confirmed that Malaysian authorities located the trafficking camps in January 2015, but exhumation and public disclosure only occurred in May. During that gap, a senior police officer allegedly ordered the site destroyed, raising concerns about obstruction of justice. Still, the RCI concluded there was no proof of enforcement or civil servant involvement, a finding still questioned by rights groups. While Tengku Mohamed Fauzi did not directly dispute the RCI's findings, he stressed that impunity and inaction remain pressing issues. He highlighted the joint commission–Fortify Rights report 'Sold Like Fish', which described the 2012-2015 crimes as a 'widespread and systematic attack on civilian populations' and possibly crimes against humanity under international law. 'Survivors were forced to pay up to RM7,000 for their release or face torture, or death. Eyewitnesses reported complicity by officials in transporting Rohingya captives from state custody directly into the hands of traffickers,' he said. Beyond Wang Kelian, the commission has continued to receive fresh complaints. From 2020 to 2024, 22 trafficking-related reports were lodged. Victims, including women, were deceived into working in entertainment venues, while children were forced into plantation labour. Although improvements have been made – such as the development of shelter standard operating procedures, educational programmes for children, and strengthened grassroots enforcement in Sabah and Sarawak – Tengku Mohamed Fauzi highlighted persistent structural problems. He noted ongoing challenges, including language barriers in detention centres, a shortage of medical personnel in shelters and understaffing in the Labour Department. It recommended assigning medical officers to all shelters to provide health screenings and basic care. It also urged the government to boost staffing at the Labour Department to improve enforcement in rural sectors such as plantations and factories. Under Section 4(2)(d) of the Human Rights Commission Act, the commission is empowered to carry out both routine and complaint-based inspections of detention centres, shelters, plantations and factories. These visits include interviews with detainees and reviews of healthcare services, infrastructure, and inter-agency coordination. Tengku Mohamed Fauzi also called for detention centres to comply with the United Nations' Mandela Rules, which set minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners. 'Let us ensure that Malaysia does not become a silent witness to impunity. Let us be a nation that confronts its past with honesty and forges a future where human dignity is upheld for all.'
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Wang Kelian: Rights Body Demands Justice, System Reform
GEORGE TOWN: Nearly a decade after the discovery of mass graves in Wang Kelian shocked the nation, the Human Rights Commission has warned that systemic weaknesses continue to undermine the country's anti-trafficking efforts. Its vice-chairman Tengku Mohamed Fauzi Tengku Abdul Hamid described Malaysia's unresolved institutional failures as a source of human suffering and urged concrete action. 'The souls buried in Wang Kelian cry not just for remembrance, but also for accountability,' he said during a keynote address at the launch of Mass Graves, a book by veteran journalist Datuk Arulldas Sinnappan documenting the 2015 tragedy. The book chronicles the discovery of 139 graves across 28 abandoned human trafficking camps near the Malaysia–Thailand border in Perlis. Each grave was believed to contain three to four bodies, many wrapped in white cloth in accordance with Muslim burial traditions. Victims were reportedly starved and tortured. Arulldas, who uncovered the graves after a tip-off, details the discovery of remains believed to belong to Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals trafficked and held in jungle camps. A Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) held in 2019 found evidence of serious negligence in border monitoring but did not implicate any Malaysian officials in trafficking operations. The report was initially classified under the Official Secrets Act, with limited sections made public in 2022 before being taken down. The RCI confirmed that Malaysian authorities located the trafficking camps in January 2015, but exhumation and public disclosure only occurred in May. During that gap, a senior police officer allegedly ordered the site destroyed, raising concerns about obstruction of justice. Still, the RCI concluded there was no proof of enforcement or civil servant involvement, a finding still questioned by rights groups. While Tengku Mohamed Fauzi did not directly dispute the RCI's findings, he stressed that impunity and inaction remain pressing issues. He highlighted the joint commission–Fortify Rights report 'Sold Like Fish', which described the 2012-2015 crimes as a 'widespread and systematic attack on civilian populations' and possibly crimes against humanity under international law. 'Survivors were forced to pay up to RM7,000 for their release or face torture, or death. Eyewitnesses reported complicity by officials in transporting Rohingya captives from state custody directly into the hands of traffickers,' he said. Beyond Wang Kelian, the commission has continued to receive fresh complaints. From 2020 to 2024, 22 trafficking-related reports were lodged. Victims, including women, were deceived into working in entertainment venues, while children were forced into plantation labour. Although improvements have been made – such as the development of shelter standard operating procedures, educational programmes for children, and strengthened grassroots enforcement in Sabah and Sarawak – Tengku Mohamed Fauzi highlighted persistent structural problems. He noted ongoing challenges, including language barriers in detention centres, a shortage of medical personnel in shelters and understaffing in the Labour Department. It recommended assigning medical officers to all shelters to provide health screenings and basic care. It also urged the government to boost staffing at the Labour Department to improve enforcement in rural sectors such as plantations and factories. Under Section 4(2)(d) of the Human Rights Commission Act, the commission is empowered to carry out both routine and complaint-based inspections of detention centres, shelters, plantations and factories. These visits include interviews with detainees and reviews of healthcare services, infrastructure, and inter-agency coordination. Tengku Mohamed Fauzi also called for detention centres to comply with the United Nations' Mandela Rules, which set minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners. 'Let us ensure that Malaysia does not become a silent witness to impunity. Let us be a nation that confronts its past with honesty and forges a future where human dignity is upheld for all.'
