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Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) congratulates and thanks the Rakyat of Malaysia for the peaceful and participative 15th General Elections (GE15) and change of government last week. The kind understanding, respect for democracy, solidarity, and patience of the Rakyat during these trying times are a symbol of our unity and multicultural harmony. Additionally, SUARAM congratulates all the elected representatives chosen by the Rakyat and the coalitions who have set aside their differences to collaborate and serve the nation under the leadership of the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Haji Anwar bin Ibrahim. We hope the Reformasi struggle of nearly a quarter of century will be realised by the unity government without any delays, excuses and U-turns as seen previously, for the benefit of all citizens of our beloved country. SUARAM and civil society has been following and supporting this struggle from the ground since the days of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the miscarriages of justice that were experienced by many members of the government today. We hope the promises made to build a better, safer, and more equitable Malaysia will be fulfilled starting with the following: 1. Abolishment of draconian laws that enable punishment without going through judicial processes i.e., Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA), Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (POCA) and Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (POTA). 2. Replace the IPCC with the IPCMC in its original form, improve police accountability and establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry on torture and deaths in custody. 3. Under the umbrella of freedom of expression, repeal the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 (PAA), amend, and limit the use of the Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA), repeal section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPP). 4. Identifies, recognizes, and legitimise the key role of human rights defenders as individuals or groups who act to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means. It is high time that Malaysia steps out of the dark ages and into the era of matured politics, people-centric approach, and good governance. A formidable majority in parliament is a mandate to be utilised for the good of the people, not an excuse to silence critics. Remember, the Rakyat are the boss, and we are watching your every move! Hidup Rakyat!

SUARAM BANTAH PENAHANAN TANPA BICARA DAN MENUNTUT INKUES MANDATORI TERHADAP KEMATIAN DALAM TAHANAN SUARAM berasa amat kesal dan bimbang terhadap kes kematian dalam tahanan ke-20 yang diumumkan oleh Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) pada tahun ini.* Kami bantah sekeras-kerasnya terhadap undang-undang penahanan tanpa bicara serta mempersoalkan ketelusan dan keterbukaan dalam siasatan kes kematian dalam tahanan selama ini. Langkah-Langkah Pencegahan Khas (LLPK) membenarkan penahanan tanpa bicara selama 60 hari. Ia bukan sahaja mendedahkan tahanan-tahanan kepada risiko penderaan, salah laku atau kecuaian oleh pegawai berkenaan, malah tahanan-tahanan tidak mempunyai platform untuk mengadu atau memaklumkan keadaan kesihatan mereka yang tidak sesuai untuk duduk di dalam lokap. Walaupun Unit Siasatan Jenayah Kematian dalam Tahanan (USJKT) ditubuhkan pada awal tahun, tetapi tiada penambahbaikan mengenai isu ini. Kami memahami masa diperlukan untuk siasatan polis dalam kes-kes kematian dalam tahanan sebegini. Walau bagaimanapun, masa yang diambil adalah terlalu lama. Suku pertama tahun 2022, kita mendapati ada 14 kes kematian dalam tahanan. Namun, setelah enam bulan berlalu, USJKT masih gagal memberi sebarang maklumat mengenai perkembangan siasatan kes-kes berkenaan. Nama dan butiran-butiran mangsa, hasil laporan bedah siasat, keadaan kesihatan fizikal dan mental mangsa sebelum masuk lokap, status dan perkembangan siasatan semasa masih tidak diketahui. Ia seolah-olah percubaan pihak PDRM untuk memadamkan identiti mangsa dan depersonalisasi mereka, malah melayan mangsa-mangsa ini seperti angka dalam statistik sahaja. Tiada sesiapa kecuali PDRM sendiri yang tahu cara operasi atau prosedur PDRM dan USJKT dalam siasatan dan pengendalian kematian dalam tahanan. USJKT gagal memberi keyakinan kepada masyarakat bahawa siasatan mereka adalah bebas, tidak menerima tekanan atau campur tangan daripada pihak atasan. Pihak masyarakat sivil telah berkali-kali menghantar surat dan memorandum kepada Bukit Aman untuk mengaturkan satu mesyuarat bersama Pengarah JIPS sejak Februari 2022. Namun, pihak kami hanya diberitahu untuk menunggu e-mel mengenai perkembangaan pengaturan mesyuarat dan tiada perkembangan selepas itu. Hal ini bercanggah dengan nilai keterbukaan dan ketelusan yang selalu disebut oleh PDRM dalam pengendalian kes kematian dalam tahanan. Selain itu, kami juga berasa amat terkejut dengan fakta di mana hanya satu kes dituduh di mahkamah dan hanya satu kes yang dirujukkan kepada koroner untuk prosiding inkues setakat ini sedangkan Seksyen 334 Kanun Tatacara Jenayah dengan jelas menetapkan kewajipan menjalankan prosiding inkues bagi semua kematian yang berlaku dalam tahanan polis. Kami ingin menegaskan pendirian kami bahawa inkues mandatori perlu dijalankan dengan segera bagi semua kematian dalam tahanan bagi mengelakkan pengubahan bukti dan pemalsuan tempat kejadian jenayah. Ia adalah cara yang paling sesuai dan berkesan di sisi undang-undang untuk mencari kebenaran serta menentukan punca kematian sama ada ia melibatkan unsur jenayah, kecuaian atau faktor kesihatan. Siasatan terhadap kes-kes berkenaan perlu dilaksanakan oleh pihak ketiga ataupun badan luar yang bebas dan bukannya oleh PDRM bagi menggelakkan sebarang campur tangan dan konflik kepentingan. Kami berpendapat bahawa tiba masanya Suruhanjaya Bebas Tatakelakuan Polis (IPCC) yang baru diluluskan oleh Dewan Rakyat untuk mengambil alih siasatan kes-kes kematian dalam tahanan polis bagi menentusahkan sama ada institusi ini dapat memelihara keberkesanan, kebebasan dan kesaksamaannya dalam perkara ini. Keadilan yang dilenggahkan adalah keadilan yang dinafikan. PDRM perlu menjadi lebih telus dan terbuka dalam pengurusan kematian dalam tahanan, sentiasa mengemas kini status dan perkembangan siasatan untuk memastikan ahli keluarga dan pihak umum memahami usaha-usaha PDRM. *https://www.facebook.com/100064506887551/posts/458643082962584/

To Arbitrary Abduction, Disappearance and Police Indifference The 30th of August is the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. On this day, Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (CAGED) and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) remind the government that the perpetrators of the crime of enforced disappearance conducted against Amri Che Mat, Raymond Koh, Joshua Hilmy and Ruth Sitepu remain unidentified and what happened to the foursome remains veiled in secrecy. The crime of enforced disappearance is defined under Article 2 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance as “the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State.” Three exhaustive investigations by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) have resoundingly concluded that Amri, Raymond, Joshua and Ruth are victims of the crime of enforced disappearance. SUHAKAM announced its conclusions in April 2019 (Raymond and Amri) and in April 2022 (Joshua and Ruth). Responding to public clamour, in May 2019, the previous government established a 7-member taskforce. According to news reports, the taskforce submitted its report to the government at the end of February 2019. Also according to news reports, the government has sealed the report “in the interest of national security” - presumably because it contains evidence of unsavoury aspects of policing in Malaysia. The victims’ families are being denied knowledge of the truth about what happened to their loved ones. They have no closure. They are suspended in a state of unknowing. The struggle of the families for justice has been long and arduous, with much involvement of civil society. Public clamour caused SUHAKAM to mount its investigations. Public clamour caused the government to form the special taskforce. Public clamour continues with outrage that the report of the taskforce has not led to, and is not leading to reforms and prosecutions. There is also mounting public clamour over the fact that more than four months after SUHAKAM published its findings in the case of Joshua and Ruth, neither the police nor the government have uttered even a squeak about what they will do in response. The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances falls on the day before Malaysia’s national independence day. The 31st August is meant to serve as an annual day of rejoicing over the gaining of autonomy and freedom from British rule. However, the eve of the 31st is now an annual day of weeping over the implicit acceptance by the government of Malaysia that enforced disappearance is not a crime. The family and friends of the victims are forced to experience the mental anguish of not knowing whether their loved one is still alive and to suffer continuous, throbbing anxiety over the whereabouts and physical and mental condition of their loved ones. The concept of Keluarga Malaysia which the Prime Minister is promoting is but a sham for as long as the perpetrators of these serious crimes are not held accountable and the government fails to uphold the right to truth, justice, reparations and reforms. We urge the government to release the findings of the task force report. We also urge the government to develop and publish an action plan, with scheduled dates to publicly inform the public about progress in implementing the recommendations of SUHAKAM and of the taskforce. The plan should include steps to: Establish institutional and standard operating measures for investigating missing persons, abductions and disappearances Implement reviews and actions to assure all authorities respect the right of freedom of religion of every person under Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution Begin the process of ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICCPED). On this important day, CAGED and SUARAM reiterate our commitment to stand in solidarity with victims and the families of enforced disappearances and to continue our campaigns and advocacy to eliminate all forms of enforced disappearance in Malaysia.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) is concerned with the called for investigation and subsequent charges laid against Youth Chief of AMANAH, Hasbie Muda, International Islamic University Malaysia Student Union’s president, Aliff Naif and finally the PKR’s Youth Chief for Batu, Lestari Yahya. The charges under the Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act laid against the 3 individuals were pertaining to the peaceful protest over rising prices held on 23rd July 2022 even though it was held peacefully and monitored by the police. Therefore, the charges laid are an assault to the right of peaceful assembly as enshrined under Article 10 of the Federal Constition. While the recent amendment in 2019 has tried to address the shortcomings of the act; the act, having been amended, are still susceptible to abuse where countless of activists including those from SUARAM were harassed by police investigations whenever a public assembly is called. According to SUARAM’s documentation, there have been no recent charges under Section 9 Notification of assembly under the said act for the year 2020 and 2021. Yet, most assemblies happened during the pandemic era have been conducted in a civil and peaceful manner. Therefore, SUARAM questioned the necessity of these charges and given that the timing of these charges also coincide with the date of an impending general election, SUARAM does wonder whether these charges are applied for political expediency. The charges are only possible in the first place because of the feeble amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 in the 2019 during the Pakatan Harapan regime. The act in its present form fails to address long-standing criticism from the civil society; therefore it still remains as a harassment tool subject to abuse from the state. For instance, the recent amendment has shortened the 10 days’ notice to 5 days. While this is an improvement, it does not address the fundamental issue with the 10 days’ notice and the room for spontaneous assemblies. Public rallies are often spontaneous and reacting to current events and it may be impossible or unfeasible for a 5 days’ notice. A notice period is acceptable for pre-planned rallies and gatherings as organisers would have ample time to coordinate themselves and liaise with the police. However, additional provisions must be made available for rallies of spontaneous nature such as the protest of rising prices recently. The curtailment of the right to peaceful assembly in Malaysia certainly does not bode well with the fact that Malaysia remains as a member to the United Nations Human Rights Council. This is all the more concerning when the same Human Rights Council in the recent 50th session had called for the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests. It is imperative that the government should walk the talk by realizing its commitment that they are promising internationally. Therefore, SUARAM calls on the government to retract the charges laid against Lestari Yahya, Aliff Naif and Hasbie Muda and to amend the Peaceful Assembly Act to ensure it is an act that truly facilitates assembly rather than a political tool to stifle dissent.

[Press Statement] Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) is aware of the recent posting made by Miss Sydney Yap Xi Ni’s Facebook post regarding the working condition as a journalist in BERNAMA and the latter’s impending legal action against Miss Yap for defamation. SUARAM is concern the legal action would create a chilling effect in the whole reporting scene and media environment which may do further damage to the already backsliding free press in Malaysia. SUARAM, therefore, urge BERNAMA to retract all legal actions against Miss Yap and instead focus its attention to address the issues that have been raised by Miss Yap. Some of the issues that Miss Yap has raised in her Facebook post includes the welfare of news reporters, wage cuts, downsizing of the news programme, staff shortages and a bureaucratic hiring process. From a labour point of view, we believe that these are entirely appropriate and legitimate issues to be raised pertaining to worker rights especially when previous effort by Miss Yap to reach out to the President of Bernama, Senator Ras Adiba, was ignored. Furthermore, Miss Yap’s posting has also indicated that she will not be continue working in the media industry, and thus she is merely sharing her personal work experience and comment about the deteriorating media industry in Malaysia. It is common knowledge that working as a reporter and journalist in Malaysia is challenging and has proven to be no easy task. Malaysia’s press freedom performance is still only rank 119 among 180 countries according to Reporters Without Borders. Aside from working in an environment where press freedom is not guaranteed, the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent economic downturn has also pushed the media industry into more perilous state where the welfare of reporters are regularly being cut or not prioritized. It is also time Malaysians must recognise the importance of journalists and reporters where they have been performing the duty of the watchdog to those that wields significant political power. A healthy and independent media industry would effectively allow the public to make informed decisions, hold leader accountable and ensure a diversity of opinions and information. It is with that we hope that the media would continue to listen to the voice of fellow journalists and reporters for they are the one working on the ground and reporting on news to the wider public. SUARAM stands in solidarity with Miss Sydney Yap Xi Ni and once again, urged BERNAMA to retract all legal actions against its departing worker.

Pada jam 12 tengah hari 4 Ogos 2022, pihak SUARAM bersama-sama dengan ahli keluarga mendiang Kim Shih Keat telah menghantar memorandum kepada Ahli-ahli Parlimen berkenaan kes kematian dalam tahanan ketika berada di bawah jagaan Penjara Kluang. Tujuan memorandum ini dihantar adalah untuk menggesa pihak Jabatan Peguam Negara (AGC) dan Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) untuk mengambil tindakan yang serius dan segera terhadap kes kematian dalam tahanan. Wakil Ahli Parlimen yang turut hadir ketika sidang media termasuk Ramkarpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) yang merupakan peguam mewakili keluarga mangsa serta Charles Santiago (Klang), Kasthuri Patto (Batu Kawan), Maria Chin (Petaling Jaya), Boo Cheng Hau (Bekas ADUN Skudai), Chew Chong Sin (ADUN Mengkibol) dan juga Wong Shu Qi (Kluang). Kim telah dijatuhi hukuman tujuh hari penjara dan denda sebanyak RM15,000 serta lesen memandunya digantung selama dua tahun selepas didapati bersalah memandu dalam keadaan mabuk oleh Mahkamah Sesyen Johor Bahru pada 22 Jun lalu. Walau bagaimanapun, pada tarikh yang sepatutnya Kim dibebaskan, ahli keluarganya mendapat panggilan daripada pihak ketiga, bukan daripada pihak penjara atau hospital bahawa Kim telahpun meninggal dunia. SUARAM menerima maklum balas daripada ahli keluarga mendiang Kim dan mendapati hak-hak mereka telah dinafikan. Antaranya adalah hak untuk melawat dan hak untuk mendapatkan maklumat kesihatan Kim ketika di dalam penjara. Mereka tidak dimaklumkan tentang masalah kesihatan yang dihadapi oleh mendiang Kim dalam tempoh masa terdekat. Maklumat berkenaan kematian Kim diterima melalui pihak ketiga, dan bukannya daripada pihak Penjara Kluang dan hospital. Ini adalah satu keganjilan dan tidak mengikut prosedur yang betul. Ahli keluarga Kim mahu mengetahui apa yang berlaku dalam tempoh 7 hari tersebut sama ada terdapat kecuaian atau salah laku. Pihak Penjara Kluang perlu telus kerana sekiranya tidak, ia memberi ruang kepada seseorang untuk mengubah bukti dan mencemarkan tempat kejadian. SUARAM memandang serius terhadap isu kematian di dalam tahanan, sama ada ia disebabkan salahguna kuasa, kecuaian mahupun kesihatan. Kami berpendapat bahawa kebajikan tahanan sewaktu ditahan adalah tanggungjawab penuh pihak berwajib yang menahan mereka, ini bertepatan dengan undang-undang Malaysia mahupun antarabangsa. Berikut merupakan tuntutan yang dibawa: 1. Pihak bertanggungjawab menyerahkan dokumen berkaitan seperti laporan bedah siasat dan laporan toksikologi kepada ahli keluarga Kim Shih Keat dan wakil peguam dengan serta-merta. 2. KDN harus berjumpa NGO hak asasi manusia dan juga pemegang taruh yang lain untuk bekerjasama mencari jalan terbaik menyelesaikan kematian dalam tahanan kerana apa yang dilakukan sekarang jelas tidak mengurangkan kematian dalam tahahan, malah bilangan kes semakin bertambah. 3. Pendakwa raya menggunakan kuasa beliau di bawah Seksyen 339 Kanun Tatacara Jenayah untuk mengarahkan koroner menjalankan siasatan ke atas kematian dalam tahanan. Manakala, koroner perlu menjalankan prosiding inkues dengan segera mengikut Seksyen 334 Kanun Tatacara Jenayah (Akta 593). 4. Kerajaan dan pihak berkaitan perlu memberi sokongan dan pampasan yang sewajarnya kepada ahli keluarga dalam bentuk kewangan serta kaunseling, bagi membantu mereka mengharungi cabaran ini. 5. Kerajaan menggubal Akta Mahkamah Koroner bagi memperkukuhkan peranan koroner dan memastikan badan koroner bebas seperti mana di United Kingdom yang termaktub di Coroners and Justice Act 2009. Tonton sidang media di Parlimen: https://youtu.be/0rzGAhwd4EQ Serahan memorandum juga turut dilakukan kepada pihak Jabatan Peguam Negara dan Kementerian Dalam Negeri.

25 Julai 2022 PENDAHULUAN Pada 23 Mac 2022, usul bagi melanjutkan penguatkuasaan subseksyen 4(5) Akta Kesalahan Keselamatan (Langkah-langkah Khas) 2012 (SOSMA) gagal mendapat sokongan yang mencukupi di Dewan Rakyat. Seksyen 4(5) SOSMA memperuntukan: (5) Walau apa pun subseksyen (4), seorang pegawai polis yang berpangkat Penguasa Polis atau berpangkat lebih tinggi daripada Penguasa Polis boleh melanjutkan tempoh tahanan untuk tempoh yang tidak lebih daripada dua puluh lapan hari, bagi maksud penyiasatan. Tanpa peruntukan di atas, para tahanan tidak lagi boleh dikenakan tempoh tahanan 28 hari selepas tangkapan dengan hanya mendapatkan kelulusan pegawai polis. Justeru, setiap tahanan di bawah SOSMA, boleh dikenakan tahanan reman menurut prosedur yang termaktub sedia ada di dalam akta yang lain seperti di bawah seksyen 117 Kanun Prosedur Jenayah (KPJ) iaitu, penahanan di lokap tidak melebihi tempoh 24 jam bagi tujuan siasatan dan jika penyiasatan tidak boleh diselesaikan dalam tempoh 24 jam, pihak polis perlu membawa tahanan ke hadapan majistret bagi memohon lanjutan tempoh reman sehingga ke 14 hari sahaja. Diingatkan bahawa SOSMA hanyalah undang-undang prosedur bagi tujuan siasatan. Penahanan 28 hari tersebut adalah bagi tujuan siasatan bukan untuk melindungi keselamatan negara. Malah, Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) di dalam kenyataan mereka pada 23 Mac 2022 yang lalu bahawa, PDRM akan menggunakan peruntukan di bawah mana-mana undang-undang yang sedang berkuatkuasa seperti KPJ untuk melaksanakan penahanan melalui proses reman di mahkamah. PDRM kekal komited bagi menjalankan siasatan sebaik mungkin, dengan menggunakan akta-akta sedia ada yang masih berkuatkuasa. Ini bermakna akta sedia ada sudah mencukupi. Diingatkan bahawa SOSMA hanyalah undang-undang prosedur bagi tujuan siasatan. Penahanan 28 hari tersebut adalah bagi tujuan siasatan bukan untuk melindungi keselamatan negara. Malah, Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) di dalam kenyataan mereka pada 23 Mac 2022 yang lalu bahawa, PDRM akan menggunakan peruntukan di bawah mana-mana undang-undang yang sedang berkuatkuasa seperti KPJ untuk melaksanakan penahanan melalui proses reman di mahkamah. PDRM kekal komited bagi menjalankan siasatan sebaik mungkin, dengan menggunakan akta-akta sedia ada yang masih berkuatkuasa. Ini bermakna akta sedia ada sudah mencukupi. PERMASALAHAN PENAHANAN SELAMA 28 HARI SUARAM membantah tangkapan di bawah SOSMA kerana undang-undang ini jelas bercanggah dengan Perlembagaan Malaysia dan juga Deklarasi Hak Asasi Manusia Antarabangsa (UDHR) 1948. 1. Salah-faham mengenai SOSMA SOSMA ialah undang-undang prosedur yang beroperasi menggantikan KPJ dalam proses siasatan seseorang individu kerana disyaki melakukan kesalahan keselamatan dalam negeri yang diterangkan di bawah Bab VI (terhadap Negara), VI A (berkaitan dengan keganasan) dan VI B (jenayah terancang) Kanun Keseksaan; Akta Antipemerdagangan Orang dan Antipenyeludupan Migran 2007 (ATIPSOM); dan Akta Langkah-Langkah Khas Menentang Keganasan di Negara Asing 2015. Dalam erti kata lain, sudah ada Akta yang sedia ada untuk menangani keganasan dan kesalahan berkaitan jenayah terancang dan bukannya SOSMA. Apa yang membezakan SOSMA daripada akta-akta ini adalah bahawa kuasa reman yang memberikan polis kuasa yang tidak terkawal untuk menangkap dan menahan seseorang individu tanpa pengawasan kehakiman. Di bawah SOSMA, seseorang individu boleh ditahan sehingga 28 hari tanpa sebarang kebenaran kehakiman dan boleh dinafikan sebarang akses kepada peguam dan keluarga sehingga 48 jam. 2. Salahguna Kuasa Tahap kecekapan pihak polis diragui berikutan mengambil masa yang lama dalam melakukan penyiasatan. Pihak berkuasa sepatutnya melakukan siasatan lebih awal (sebelum reman) kerana polis mempunyai mekanisme membuat siasatan. Pihak Polis tidak perlu menggunakan SOSMA sekiranya benar pihak Polis sudah memiliki bukti kukuh untuk mensabitkan semua yang ditangkap dengan aktiviti militan. Sekiranya benar ada bukti kukuh, pihak Polis boleh menahan semua yang disyaki menggunakan KPJ dan segera mendakwa mereka di mahkamah. Menteri Dalam Negeri dalam kenyataan yang disiarkan Utusan Online bertarikh 2 Mei mengatakan Polis memiliki bukti kukuh hasil maklumat risikan yang menunjukkan kesemua yang ditahan terlibat dengan kegiatan militan. 3. Perbicaraan SOSMA Yang Berat Sebelah Perbicaraan di bawah SOSMA yang jelas tidak adil bagi mereka yang dituduh. Perbicaraan di bawah SOSMA memberi kelebihan kepada pihak pendakwa raya. Sebagai contohnya seksyen 14 SOSMA memberi kebenaran kepada pihak pendakwa raya untuk melindungi identiti saksi pendakwa daripada diketahui oleh tertuduh termasuk peguambela. Perkara ini menyebabkan wujudnya kemungkinan saksi palsu yang diadakan bagi memberi kelebihan kepada pihak pendakwa raya. Semasa penahanan dalam tempoh 28 hari tersebut, pengakuan dan Kenyataan 18A SOSMA diambil akan menyebabkan ketidakadilan kepada suspek kerana diragui sama ada pengakuan yang dibuat adalah secara sukarela tanpa paksaan. Juga, suspek tidak boleh dijamin dan akan ditahan reman sehingga selesai proses mahkamah. Penahanan di bawah SOSMA bukan hanya dalam tempoh 28 hari tersebut sahaja. SOSMA menafikan hak untuk tertuduh bagi kesalahan keselamatan untuk diikat jamin. SOSMA juga memberi kuasa kepada pihak Timbalan Pendakwa Raya untuk hanya membuat permohonan secara lisan di mahkamah supaya tertuduh yang telah dilepaskan dan dibebaskan daripada pertuduhan di Mahkamah Tinggi untuk direman sementara proses rayuan oleh pihak pendakwaan, daripada di Mahkamah Rayuan sehinggalah ke Mahkamah Persekutuan. 4. Penyalahgunaan akta bagi kes-kes yang lain SUARAM sentiasa memantau dan mendokumentasikan kes salah guna kuasa di bawah SOSMA oleh pihak polis. Kerajaan telah kerap menggunakan SOSMA bagi kesalahan yang tidak semestinya tertakluk di bawah bidang kuasa Akta. Pada November 2020, Lim Kian Aik dan R. Nathan telah ditahan di bawah SOSMA kerana didakwa mensabotaj perkhidmatan air di Selangor. Kerajaan mewajarkan penggunaan SOSMA dengan merangka kesalahan di bawah Bab VI (Kesalahan terhadap negara), namun Mahkamah Rayuan kemudiannya memutuskan bahawa mensabotaj perkhidmatan air bukanlah satu kesalahan keselamatan yang boleh diklasifikasikan di bawah SOSMA dan memerintahkan supaya pertuduhan terhadap tertuduh dibuat serta merta. Begitu juga, bekas Perdana Menteri Najib Razak baru-baru ini juga menggesa mereka yang menyalahgunakan minyak masak bersubsidi itu ditahan di bawah SOSMA. Oleh itu, SOSMA sentiasa terdedah untuk menyimpang daripada niatnya untuk menangani kesalahan keselamatan dan membawa kepada penyalahgunaan terutamanya apabila kerajaan dan polis mahukan lebih kuasa untuk memerangi jenayah tertentu. Walaupun kerajaan secara konsisten menolak peruntukan di bawah SOSMA yang menyatakan bahawa tiada seorang pun boleh ditangkap dan ditahan semata-mata kerana fahaman atau aktiviti politik mereka, namun SOSMA telah digunakan berkali-kali untuk menahan penentang terhadap kerajaan seperti Khairuddin Abu Hassan, Matthias Chang, Maria Chin, G Saminathan dan P. Gunasekaran. Tambahan pula, pengumuman Menteri Dalam Negeri baru-baru ini bahawa SOSMA boleh digunakan untuk menghalang kebebasan bersuara atas nama melindungi ketenteraman awam mengukuhkan tanggapan bahawa SOSMA dilihat oleh pihak berkuasa sebagai undang-undang untuk tujuan politik dan bukannya perkara keselamatan. 5. Rantaian pembuktian boleh terjejas Salah satu hujah menyokong SOSMA ialah penahanan 28 hari paling penting bagi polis untuk mendapatkan dan memelihara bukti sensitif berkaitan kesalahan keselamatan tanpa diganggu gugat oleh pesalah. Bagaimanapun, mengikut angka yang diberikan oleh Menteri Dalam Negeri sendiri, 3,717 individu telah ditangkap di bawah SOSMA dari 2016 hingga 2022 manakala 126 didakwa di bawah kesalahan keganasan dan 552 didakwa di bawah kesalahan pemerdagangan. Ini bermakna terdapat hanya kurang daripada 20% tahanan SOSMA yang didakwa di bawah kesalahan keselamatan. Jika pemeliharaan dan pemerolehan bukti adalah sangat penting dalam tempoh 28 hari penahanan, maka mengapa terdapat lebih 80% tangkapan di bawah SOSMA tidak didakwa di mahkamah? 6. Masalah Jenayah Terancang yang Semakin Meningkat Kelaziman jenayah terancang dan kesalahan pemerdagangan manusia yang berterusan baru-baru ini di Malaysia menunjukkan bahawa SOSMA tidak mencapai tujuan yang dimaksudkan untuk menangani kesalahan keselamatan. Malah, terdapat hujah balas bahawa penahanan tanpa bicara dalam SOSMA sebenarnya telah menghalang pesalah yang didakwa daripada bekerjasama dengan pihak berkuasa untuk menangani kesalahan ini. Selepas bertahun-tahun menyembunyikan diri daripada pihak berkuasa, Nicky Liow telah memilih untuk menyerahkan dirinya kepada pihak berkuasa atas dakwaan kesalahan pengubahan wang haramnya. Peguam Nicky liow, Rajpal Singh memaklumkan kepada orang ramai bahawa anak guamnya telah memilih untuk bekerjasama dengan pihak berkuasa selepas usul untuk melanjutkan seksyen 4(5) SOSMA telah ditolak di Parlimen. KES – KES CONTOH PERMASALAHAN SOSMA 1. Menggunakannya kepada Aktivis Hak Asasi Manusia. Maria Chin Abdullah - Ditahan pada tahun 2016 di bawah selama sebelas hari. Pada waktu itu beliau masih bekerja di dalam masyarkat sivil dan mahukan sistem pilihanraya yang mengikut piawaian antarabangsa namun menjadi mangsa kerakusan dan kezaliman kerajaan pada masa itu sebagai satu ugutan dan ancaman. 2. Menggunakannya kepada Mereka Mengangkat Isu Rasuah. Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan dan Matthias Chang - Ditahan kerana pendedahan yang dibuat oleh beliau ketika itu berkenaan dengan 1MDB. Turut ditahan peguam yang mewakili beliau sewaktu itu. 3. Menggunakannya kepada Ahli Politik. G Saminathan dan P. Gunasekaran - Pada tahun 2019, 12 orang telah ditahan dimana empat daripanya adalah daripada DAP atas tuduhan penglibatan dalam LTTE. 4. Permasalahan dalam pendefinisian pengganas Jusninawati Abdul Ghani - Ditahan pada tahun 2015 dan didapati bersalah di bawah seksyen 130M Kanun Keseksaan yang memperuntukkan hukuman maksimum 7 tahun penjara. Pada tahun 2019 Mahkamah Persekutuan telah membenarkan rayuan beliau dan beliau telah dilepaskan dan dibebaskan daripada pertuduhan. Jusninawati adalah seorang anggota polis dan ibu tunggal kepada dua orang anak. Muhammad Zulkifli - Ditahan di bawah SOSMA pada tahun 2018 atas tuduhan menyalurkan dana sebanyak RM200 kepada kenalan beliau untuk tujuan keganasan. Beliau hanya mengetahui bahawa kenalan tersebut telah diwartakan sebagai pengganas setelah ditahan oleh pihak polis. Beliau juga telah didera secara fizikal dan emosi dalam tempoh 28 hari penahanan. Semasa ditahan, rakaman percakapan di bawah s.18A SOSMA telah diambil dan ia telah digunakan sebagai keterangan di mahkamah. 5. SOSMA dikenakan terhadap pesalah muda Prakash Rao - Ditahan sewaktu 2019 disaat beliau berumur 18 tahun semasa di tahan di bawah SOSMA iaitu sewaktu pandemik. Namun, hanya selepas 2 tahun di dalam penjara Suaram mendapati beliau ditahan dibawah SOSMA, sewaktu itu beliau sudah berumur 20 tahun. Kami mendapat maklumat tentang kes ini semasa tersebarnya isu penyeksaan tahanan di Penjara Sungai Udangseramai 21 orang. Diantaranya adalah beliau sendiri. 6. Permasalahan Jaminan Azmi Jalani - Ditahan di bawah SOSMA pada tahun 2015. Didapati tidak bersalah di Mahkamah Tinggi pada tahun 2017. 2019 Mahkamah Rayuan menjatuhkan hukuman 8 tahun. Seterusnya Mahkamah Persekutuan menambah hukuman penjara daripada 8 kepada 12 tahun TUNTUTAN 1. SUARAM mencadangkan agar pihak kerajaan membantah usul ini dah tidak menyambungnya untuk lagi lima (5) tahun kehadapan. 2. Sebaliknya, SUARAM mencadangkan agar pihak kerjaan memberikan fokus kepada penambahbaikan cara siasatan semua pihak termasuklah pihak polis, badan kehakiman dan lain-lain supaya setiap siasatan mampu menjadi lebih efisien dalam menangani sesebuah kes. 3. SUARAM mencadangkan agar keseluruhan peruntukan SOSMA diperhalusi semula dengan menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Teknikal yang pernah diadakan sewaktu pemerintahan kerajaan Pakatan Harapan terdahulu. PENUTUP SUARAM mengharapkan memorandum ini akan mendapat perhatian yang sewajarnya daripada semua pihak seterus menghasilkan satu resolusi bersepadu bagi memastikan isu keselamatan negara dapat ditangani dengan lebih berkesan serta dalam masa yang sama Prinsip Hak Asasi Manusia sentiasa dihormati dan dipatuhi oleh semua pihak khususnya pihak-pihak yang berautoriti. Sekian.

PRESS RELEASE 20th July 2022 It is unusual and unparliamentary for the same minister who has his governmental motion or bill defeated and only for him to immediately retable it in the next parliamentary session. On 23rd March, parliament has made it clear that it has disagreed with what the Home Minister has proposed by voting to not extend the power of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) to detain an individual without trial for not more than 28 days. Therefore, we are disappointed that the motion to reactivate SOSMA’s pretrial detention was scheduled for a debate and vote on 20th July 2022 even though the matter has been decided during the previous session. Therefore, in the spirit of respecting the will of parliament and in the name of the right to a fair trial, SUARAM would like to urge all MPs, both from both the government and opposition, to vote against the motion to extend section 4(5) of SOSMA. SUARAM maintains that SOSMA which allows detention without trial should be abolished entirely because it severely undermines the principles of the right to fair trial as enshrined in Malaysia’s federal constitution. To recap, SOSMA is a procedural law that operates in lieu of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) when an individual is detained for suspected internal security offences described under Chapters VI (against the State), VI A (terrorism-related) and VI B (organised crime) of the Penal Code; the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM); and the Special Measures Against Terrorism in Foreign Countries Act 2015. In other words, SOSMA’s 28 days detention without trial would only be applicable to these aforementioned offences. After the motion was defeated in March, the Royal Malaysian Police has swiftly released a statement accepting the fact that SOSMA would not be used beyond its expiry date on 31st July 2022. Instead, the CPC and other relevant acts would be used for any potential arrest, detention and investigation pertaining to these security offences that falls under the purview of SOSMA. The statement, therefore, has revealed that Malaysia’s very own Criminal Procedure Code is sufficient and equipped for the police to address these security offences, without the need of a repressive SOSMA. Instead of using SOSMA which not only allows 28 days of pretrial detention, limited access to legal counsel and strict bail conditions, we are of the view that the Criminal Procedure Code is a better safeguard against any potential abuse of power while also granting the police sufficient power to act on security offences. Parliamentarians also should take into account that this was a government motion that was previously defeated and the matter should only be brought to parliament again either the motion has been amended significantly to take into account of the previous defeat or brought forward by a different home minister or government. Since there are only 12 working days for this parliamentary session, the time to debate legislation should be better spent on those bills such as the anti-sexual harassment and anti-hopping bill, that has not been voted on in Parliament yet. The re-tabling of the SOSMA motion would only create the practice that the government would just keep tabling its defeated motion until the parliament wills it. Therefore, the time for other parliamentary businesses would be reduced because of a motion that has been decided previously and this may hamper the whole legislature procedure. It is for these reasons that SUARAM would like to urge all the sitting MPs to vote against the reactivation of section 4(5) of SOSMA.

Press Statement 3rd July 2022 SUARAM expresses its concern and disappointment for the recent appointment of SUHAKAM chairperson and commissioners. We are of the view that these appointments made by the Prime Minister Ismail Sabri do not reflect the independence and core values of SUHAKAM as the national human rights institution (NHRI) of Malaysia. The opaque and controversial appointments of the commissioners are all the more disappointing given the fact that Malaysia has recently secured a seat in the United Nation’s Human Rights Council pledging to the international body that it will uphold human rights issues. SUARAM have strong doubts that the newly appointed SUHAKAM chairperson, Prof. Dato’ Dr Rahmat bin Mohamad could carry out his duties to fulfil SUHAKAM’s mandate. He was reported to have opposed Malaysia from ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as he was one of the four academics who co-authored a paper which convinced the Conference of Rules in rejecting the Rome Statute. The paper was instrumental in forcing the PH government to pull out from ratifying the Rome Statute which undermines Malaysia’s commitment in the global peacekeeping mission. The academic views of Prof. Dato’ Dr Rahmat bin Mohamad on the Rome Statute might adversely affect SUHAKAM’s mandate because as it was stated in the SUHAKAM act, one of the main functions of SUHAKAM is to make recommendations to the government with regard to the subscription or accession of treaties and other international human rights instruments. Secondly, the two other new commissioners were publicly known to be strongly affiliated with UMNO. Dato’ Hasnal Rezua Merican bin Habib Merican is the Chairperson of UMNO Selayang Branch, and Puan Nazira binti Abdul Rahim is the Chairperson of Women Division at UMNO Kulim and Bandar Baharu Branch and the current local councillor appointed by her party for Bandar Baharu. SUARAM maintains that both the chairperson and commissioners should be politically neutral to ensure SUHAKAM remains an institution independent from political influence and therefore is able to discharge its duties without fear and favour. By appointing 2 commissioners with substantial political influence, SUARAM is worried that the power given to SUHAKAM to inquire into human rights complaints and assisting the government in human rights legislation would be severely compromised. For instance, if the UMNO government is allegedly involved in human rights violations, questions would be rightly asked on SUHAKAM’s ability to hold an inquiry independently and whether the findings would be credible in the eye of the public and civil society. Lastly, the appointment of the former director-general of the Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) Mohamad Nordin Ibrahim also raises more questions. JAKIM had previously demanded answer from SUHAKAM regarding the recognition of a third-gender research project and SUARAM is concerned whether appointing a former JAKIM director-general would again hamper SUHAKAM’s ability in conducting research that may prove to be sensitive and controversial to the executive branch, but completely align with SUHAKAM’s core objective in defending and promoting human rights in Malaysia. Finally, the root of the controversial appointment stems from the lack of transparency and parliamentary oversight on the entire selection process of SUHAKAM commissioners. Throughout the selection process, the public and civil society were left in the dark on the entire process. According to SUHAKAM Act 1999’s 11A(1)(c), a committee must first be formed to be consulted with regard to the appointment of commissioner and three members of the Committee must come from civil society who have knowledge of or practical experience in human rights matters. However, civil society is mostly unaware of the formation and composition of the committee and what are the selection criteria and meritocratic basis in appointing these new batch of commissioners. Therefore, it is only until the appointment process has been announced publicly where the identity of the chairperson and commissioners were finally revealed and the decision is presented as a fait accompli. Therefore, the method of appointment of commissioners and the criteria for selection should be made more transparent to ensure the independence and public confidence of SUHAKAM. The Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institution (GANHRI) which recently re-accredited SUHAKAM as an A-status institution has made it clear that the appointment process should include requirements such as: promoting broad consultation and/or participation in the application, screening, selection, and appointment process. After decades of effort from past and present SUHAKAM staffs, SUHAKAM was finally recognized internationally to be a credible NHRI but we are afraid the recent appointments threaten to roll back the recent success SUHAKAM has achieved in making the institution more independent from the executive. It also turns out that the idea of #KeluargaMalaysia which consists of inclusivity and common ground that the Prime Minister has espoused so much is not applicable in the field of human rights in Malaysia. It is indeed a sad day for human rights and SUHAKAM that the principles of public accountability and transparency is not practiced upon during the recent selection and appointment process which in turn produces commissioners that may not be equipped to fulfil the mandates of SUHAKAM.

RE-IMAGINING A TORTURE FREE NATION Press Release 27 June 2022 In commemoration of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26th of June, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) in collaboration with Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) and Cross-Cultural Foundation (CrCF) launched an exhibition on torture prevention. The exhibition showcased 30 selected cartoons from a competition for Malaysian youths held in 2021. The exhibition aimed to inspire local artists and youths in Malaysia and Thailand to promote messages of torture prevention through hopeful visual narratives. The activity is part of a 3.5-year project focusing on reducing risky practices leading to torture and ill-treatment in police custody in Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. In addition to the exhibition, other activities were also planned. This included live paintings with two renowned artists from Thailand and Malaysian, Tawan Wattutya and Zunar, a sharing of experience with a former detainee, a public conversation with Cross-Cultural Foundation (CrCF) Thailand on using art to prevent torture and finally a public forum on how to end torture in Malaysia by the anti-torture coalition #ACT4CAT. Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (SUHAKAM), Bar Council, Amnesty International Malaysia (AIM), Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) and Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) also opened information booths for the event as a way to promote their own work on preventing torture. “Re-imagining a Torture Free Nation” was chosen as the event’s theme to encourage the younger generation in Malaysia and Thailand to express their opinions creatively on the importance of preventing torture. The exhibition and related activities set a great example on how efforts to prevent torture can be communicated and addressed creatively. SUARAM, CRCF and the APT would also like to take the opportunity to welcome the Malaysian government’s recent announcement to abolish mandatory death penalty. The announcement is a step in the right direction towards ensuring that all persons deprived of liberty, especially persons on death row are treated with respect and dignity. In addition to that, Malaysia’s efforts to be part of the upcoming 2022-2024 United Nations Human Rights Council is also seen as an opportunity for the country to invest more in policies and practices that guarantees everyone is safe in police custody. Press enquiries: For media opportunities and information pertaining to the project, please be in touch with: Kenneth Cheng Documentation and Monitoring Officer Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) documentation@suaram.net About the APT APT is a Swiss organisation based in Geneva with more than 40 years of experience in collaborating and accompanying government agencies, national human rights institutions, national preventive mechanisms, authorities and civil society organisations globally in their efforts to prevent torture. The APT has been cooperating with different partners in Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand over the last 10 years, particularly in national advocacy for UNCAT and OPCAT ratification and implementation, educating and raising awareness of different groups and communities on the importance of torture prevention. For more details about the APT, visit: https://www.apt.ch/en About SUARAM SUARAM has conducted extensive documentation, monitoring and advocacy work relating to police brutality, torture prevention and indefinite detention over the past 30 years. Apart from advocacy in this area, SUARAM is also the coordinating body for the Movement for the Abolishment of the Sedition Act 1948 (GHAH), organizer for Youth Internet Governance Forum 2019, Co-secretariat for Malaysian CSO Cluster for Reform and Co-Secretariat in the Coalition of Malaysian NGO in the UPR Process (COMANGO).SUARAM is also part of the national network coordinated by the National Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) called ACT4CAT, a network that advocates for UNCAT ratification by Malaysia. SUARAM is also a member of regional and international organization including Forum-Asia (one of the founding member), Asian Alliance against Torture (A3T, one of the founding member), FIDH, OMCT and I4C. For more details about SUARAM, visit: https://www.suaram.net/ About CrCF The Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) was founded in 2002. It works on justice and the protection, promotion and monitoring of human rights in Thailand. CrCF’s philosophy and activities are focused on strengthening human rights and delivering sustainable judicial reform throughout society. Particular emphasis is placed on marginalised people including ethnic minority groups, stateless people, migrant workers and the victims of conflict. About #ACT4CAT #ACT4CAT is a campaign co-initiated by SUARAM, alongside Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), Bar Council Malaysia, Amnesty International Malaysia and Lawyers for Liberty with the aim of advocating for the ratification of the Convention against Torture (CAT) as well as for the elimination of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in Malaysia.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) applauds the Malaysia government in the historic move to abolish the mandatory death penalty. Though the death penalty continues to exist in Malaysia, this abolishment would empower the judge with the discretion to mete out alternative sentencing. We also welcome that the cabinet agreed on the abolishment after the Law Minister had presented a report on alternative sentencing as SUARAM has always advocated that the application of alternative sentencing is far superior to the death penalty as the latter betrays the principle of human rights and also seen as cruel, inhumane, and degrading under international law. According to Amnesty International, the death penalty is still admissible for around 30 offences in Malaysia, of which 11 offences are mandatory punishment. The stark reality remains that there are still 1,366 number of people on death row as of September 2021, while a significant majority of them were found guilty under section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. Therefore, we are also delighted that the government, in working towards abolishing mandatory death penalty, will be looking into revising section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. SUARAM maintains the view that Malaysia should be looking at the total abolishment of the death penalty. Nevertheless, the announcement today is a significant step forwards toward seeing a Malaysia that is free from the inhumane practice of death penalty.

From Selancar Ampat to Bahau In 2020, SUARAM received a bonded labour case of Ramesh, a 24-year-old from Bahau who has worked at the plantation for the past four years. Although the general perspective leaves an impression that migrant workers are the only victims of modern-day slavery in Malaysia, SUARAM can strongly deduce it is a misperception as the case of Ramesh and many other similar cases involving Malaysian employees being forced to work as bonded labourers to pay off their debts have been recorded. Bahau, the name is believed to be derived from a Chinese phrase which means Horse’s Mouth, located at Jempol District, Negeri Sembilan. This small rural town of Bahau, nevertheless assumed a monumental role by being the focal point or the linkage town for various towns in four different states, namely, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Johor. Established during the arrival of Chinese settlers in search of tin, Bahau ended up as the golden pot for rubber, plantation, and timber for the settlers. The social diversity comprises mainly Chinese, and Malays predominantly located at the surrounding Felda settlement at the outskirt while Indians have been residing in and accustomed to plantation estate for generations. The main labour force at these estate plantations were Malaysian Indians whereas Malays lived and engaged in socio-economic activities in Felda settlements. Several reports on the practice of cheap labour as well as bonded labour around these plantations and its settlements have been highlighted occasionally. Bonded labour is a form of forced labour, occurs when a person or family is forced to work, purportedly to pay off their debts. They are often cheated, manipulated, or tricked into the bondage system with a scanty pay or no pay at all. The bonded labourers have no control over their debt as most of the money, if not all, that they earn is used to pay off their debts. According to ILO’s Global estimate of forced labourers, Asia sits at the top with an estimated 11, 700, 000 labourers compared to other regions. The Global Slavery Index in 2018 stated that Malaysia is at 14th place in the Asia region for highest forced labour from 28 countries surveyed in the region. In many instances, the labourers will remain bonded rather than tasting the air of freedom as they were unable to pay off the debts due to oppressive modus operandi. According to the International Labour Office (ILO), bonded labour reflects an imbalance in power between the worker-debtor and the employer-creditor. It has the effect of binding the worker to the employer for an unspecified period, anything from a single season to years, or even successive generations [1]. In Bahau, Ramesh was working with a Contractor, known as Sashi (employer) at one of the plantations for daily base wages. Ramesh initially was asked to look after the fieldwork at the plantations nearby as he often takes up fieldwork offered by his employer. Ramesh must carry out multiple fieldwork activities at the oil palm estate ranging from digging holes, ploughing land, planting saplings, applying or spreading fertilisers to protecting seedlings. At certain times, it can be more than the specified fieldwork. One day, Ramesh was accused of stealing a motorbike belonging to one of the workers from the neighborhood and later was charged at Bahau Magistrate Court. Surprisingly, his employer offered him to upfront the bail amount and in return Ramesh was instructed to stay and work at a plantation estate on a regular basis together with his wife until he paid up the debts. Ramesh and his wife agreed and moved into the Goodwood Estate, also known as Gudugudu [2] Estate by the locals, where Sashi is the main contractor there and oversees the work in the estate. Ramesh has now started work as bonded labour at Sashi’s place and it was merely the beginning of many of the constant troubles he was facing from Sashi and his subordinates guarding the place. “There were several other workers in Gudugudu Estate where we were staying. They are treating us like slaves, often beat us if late for work and scold us for even small mistakes. We were not paid enough, and this led to a fight between me and my wife as well. Because of that we left the estate and stayed at our house at Sri Rompin,” Ramesh, 24, said. While Ramesh’s case is still pending at court, he negotiated with his employer for a better salary, but it was denied. Ramesh was paid around RM42 per day if he worked inside the plantations and RM50 if it was somewhere outside the plantation as Sashi’s contract involves both inside and outside the estates in Bahau. “I know I have a case at court and have a lawyer assisting me. I was hoping to resolve my court case, so that I can return the bail amount, but the case was being postponed,” Ramesh added. Ramesh was under the impression his case had been postponed and was trying to find ways to settle his debts but due to Covid-19, he was left with no option but to continue to work with his employer [3]. “On the morning of October 9th, 2020, my superior and three subordinates came to my house in Seri Rompin. They came in a white Hilux and forced me into the Hilux and brought me to Bahau Magistrate Court. I was under the impression that my case was not due, and I was wondering about the turn of events. At the court, the boss was trying to revoke the bail so that I would end up in prison, but the court dismissed the process as it was without proper application. After that, we were forced to stay at Gudugudu Estate again,” Ramesh explained the horrifying incident. SUARAM’s lawyer who is representing Ramesh said he received a call from Ramesh’s wife’s friend to inform him about the incident. Shashi Devan said, “After receiving the panic call very early in the morning, I had no choice but to immediately head to court. I was perplexed as at that hour in the morning, I am not able to contact the courts to check if there has been a change in the court date or if for some reason, I mixed up the date. Nevertheless, I made the decision to head to court from KL that morning. When I arrived at court, I saw several men on bikes crowding the waiting area in front of the court. I immediately checked with the court and was informed that Ramesh's case was not fixed on that day. I then attempted to speak to the bailor who was sitting in the waiting area. She explained that she wanted to revoke bail and surrender him to court. According to her, she was advised by a policeman to do so.” According to the lawyer, the court refused to entertain the case and insisted on returning on the date fixed previously. “The bailor had also informed me that it was not the first time she has revoked bail and that she is aware how this particular court works and was confident that she would be able to revoke bail and get Ramesh arrested and detained the same day, explaining to me clearly that Ramesh has no one else to bail him out and that this would teach him a lesson.” This means Ramesh and his wife either agree to the terms and conditions of the employer to continue work as bonded labour or end up in prison for the crime that he was not committed. Ramesh said he and his wife were forced to work at odd hours to repay Sashi’s money. When asked about how Sashi forced them: “Like one day, my superior came with three of his subordinates on the night of October 19th and they intruded into my house. Then, they forced me and my wife to follow them for work that night. When we refused, Sashi threatened to harm my wife and warned to lock her up. They forced us to work without any salary and the reason given was to pay my debts from the bail money that I owe to Sashi,” Ramesh stated. After that incident, Ramesh and his wife had a fight again due to the situation that led Ramesh trapped in the estate under the ruthless employer. Both left the estate since. Ramesh had no choice but to resolve this by pleading guilty so that his bail amount would be returned to Sashi. Consequently, Ramesh spent a few months in prison and was released after. He is now separated from his wife and living away from Bahau. Ramesh’s situation is not new to the people of Bahau, especially among the Indian community there. Many of them are aware that bonded labour is being widely practised in the plantation estates. This bonded labour system in Malaysia has been in practice, at least since the 1980's, although it has earlier beginnings, probably even before independence. Despite violating the Malaysian Laws, many contractors are still practising this system and profiting from this business. One of the most horrific bonded labour cases which was exposed in the early 1980s was the “Hell Estate” of Felda Selancar Ampat in Southern Pahang. The contract workers in “Hell Estate” were not only exploited with a bonded system but were detained illegally and treated inhumanely [4]. The workers included children and young people. This horrendous exposure nevertheless failed to stir authorities into action as the then Pahang Police Chief denied any wrongdoing in this case which was reported in local dailies Berita Harian (Samy Vellu kesal terhadap kenyataan ketua polis, 1983). [5] In the news report, the former President of Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) cum Minister of Works and Public Amenities retorted the police chief’s claim as follows: “Mereka terpaksa tinggal di pondok-pondok kecil atau reban kambing dan ramai pekerja serta kanak-kanak yang mempunyai kesan-kesan luka dan balar di tubuh mereka kerana dipukul dan diseksa dengan teruk kerana melakukan kesalahan kecil. Apa yang mengejutkan ialah kenyataan Datuk Mohd. Noor yang mengatakan tidak ada kekejaman dan penyeksaan berlaku di Kawasan ladang itu!” Samy Vellu said. There are many factors condoning the bonded labour system in many rural plantations in Malaysia. Corruption, lack of integrity, lack of oversight and complaint mechanism as well as the inexistence of a proper labour system are some of the crucial reasons for the continuation of the bonded labour system, against both Malaysians and migrant workers. The Selancar Ampat case was exposed in the early 80’s. After 40 years, how many bonded labour practices has Malaysia eliminated? SUARAM has recorded a few recent cases of bonded labour not very far from Selancar Ampat’s which was once housed the “Hell Estate.” Most of the reported cases involve migrant workers but in certain instances, we have been hearing issues related to local bonded labourers [6]. Some regular places which were reported about this bonded labour practices are from plantation estates in Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Johor. These stories have appeared in our local media from time to time, especially in Tamil Dailies about several individual cases of workers escaping from their employers. News reports about escaped Malaysian workers who were a part of the bonded labour system rarely conduct proper investigations on the alleged perpetrators. Lack of evidence is usually cited as menial excuses by the authorities, but there are other factors including political will and corruption. As a result, the victim's story is reported without disclosing much of the employer’s details, in spite of these cases happening in our own backyards. Malaysiakini’s report (Escape from slavery, 2007) [7] on the escape of a married couple from the clutches of a contractor by the name of Maren revealed the generational bondage that began as early as 1992. P. Ramudu, 19, and his pregnant wife A. Kalaivany, 17, dared to escape from an oil palm plantation in Kampung Serampang Indah, Bahau in Negeri Sembilan. The report stated that Kalaivany’s parents and their seven children (including Kalaivany) were “part of the package deal”, pointing out their suffering as a whole family as bonded labourers Ramudu’s mother and two sisters suffered a similar fate under Maren. Similar to the hardships of Ramesh, Ramudu’s family was subjected to frequent physical abuse, forced confinement,long working hours and their children were also denied access to school as they were conscripted as child labourers. Kalaivany’s father, Avadiar, 42, relayed that two of his children did not have a birth certificate and one of the children born as a result of sexual assault. Only in this case, the contractor came forward to address the complaints levelled at him to the Malaysiakini reporters [8]. Unmistakably, the idea of proprietorship was loud in the news article. “Look, they are my workers. I brought them to work here, and I paid them for that,” the report quoted Maren. He even admitted to assaulting the workers but only for due purposes. “When this (getting drunk) happened, I have beat them. In fact, I have beaten an entire family for this,” Maran justified the beating as a circumstantial reaction due to the workers’ attitude. Pahang State Assemblywoman for Sabai, Kamache Doray Rajoo has also previously highlighted several runaway bonded labour cases. She remarked that some of these runaways were from Bahau and went through hell while bonded to the plantations there. Kamache’s social media post on Sept 7th 2018 highlighted the case of Shanti, who was forced into bonded labour at the age of 10. It was reported in a Tamil Daily as well. On June 7th 2017, another case was highlighted by Kamache, as reported in Malaysian Tamilar Kural [9] that Sathiswaran, 20, escaped from the enslavement of his employer when he was 18 years old and it took him 18 months to retrieve his birth certificate and identity card [10] from the registrar. There was another report from Kamache about three teenagers who escaped from their slave-like situation, again from Bahau [11]. The assemblywoman is currently assisting them to get their birth certificates. These are some of the stories of runaways from Bahau, who are allegedly forced to work as bonded labour but were treated like slaves. Several police reports have been made for most of these cases but the issue of bonded labour in Bahau is continuing till today. After handling Ramesh’s case, SUARAM, a local human rights NGO supporting Ramesh, went to Bahau a few times to obtain additional information on bonded labour issues. Knowing the existence of such cases and as mentioned earlier, it was important for us to find out more information and further investigate the allegations. Forced labour issues are constantly highlighted in media, other NGO’s as well as reported in ILO, but it is important to prove the allegations with evidence. During our limited visit due to Covid-19 movement restrictions, we gathered some insights of the situation. Although the local people that we visited knew these issues as “kottadimai” and recognised some of the perpetrators, the reluctance to speak up was obvious amongst some of locals. According to the locals, the so-called employers or contractors are very influential and have a big team of local thugs as their subordinates or assistants to “silence” them. The different work system or Modus Operandi utilised by the contractor on his workers is one of the main factors that are posing difficulties in proving the practises of slavery or bonded labour system. Some of the hired workers are paid on a daily basis and not bonded. Although they are paid much lower than standard Malaysian minimum wage, they are fine with it as this is the only source of income for some of them. One of the workers that we talked with, Lalitha, stated it is difficult to find a job in the Bahau area which pays a decent wage, especially for those without much educational qualifications. She commented, “we know we are being paid less but what to do? We don’t get any other jobs here. So, better to take it and just work. We don’t want to lose this income. We can’t afford it.” When asked about the bonded labour issue in Bahau, Lalitha said many people know this issue and are aware that they will be bonded too if they are monetarily indebted to the contractors. Lalitha further elucidated the many ways the contractor hired workers. Some will be on a daily basis like herself while the others will be brought to a nearby plantation estate and given a place to stay. The contractor will supply them with groceries and alcohol (toddy) which will be deducted from their wages. When SUARAM visited this estate, we were unable to enter the site as the security guard refused to allow us in, claiming it is a private property. The security guard said his boss is not around and declined to answer. As we don’t want to create any suspicion, we decided to leave the place. There was a sign outside the estate [12] saying “Ladang Ikatan Aktif” of “Ikatan Aktif Sdn. Bhd.” and this name was never mentioned by any of the people that we met and interacted with. SUARAM also met another former worker of the contractor who identified himself as Senthil. This young worker who witnessed the bonded labour situation while he was working at the estate said the contractor owns a house in Gudugudu Estate and he is controlling the place with his own team. Some of them are gangsters (thugs). Moreover, according to Senthil, they will bring the workers out as early as 6 am for work and will return only after 8pm, so it is difficult to meet any of the workers during the daytime. At night, it is dangerous to enter the estate. Some of the workers are locals from Bahau and he also heard that the contractor has agents recruiting vulnerable workers from Tampin and other places. Senthil also revealed that the contractor Sashi has many “connections” in that area. Sugu and his wife are amongst Sashi’s helpers who will occasionally travel all the way to Tampin to “hire” workers who are jobless, vulnerable and entangled in some sort of debt either at the toddy shop or with some individuals. The couple will offer the workers to pay off the debts and in return they need to follow them to Bahau to work as labourers in plantations. Once they agree, they will be stationed at Gudugudu Estate and will be bonded. The new recruits will be provided with a place to stay, groceries, cigarettes and alcohol which will be deducted from their wages. In most of the cases, the workers don’t get a take home salary and work relentlessly to pay back their debts. These charges are expensive and often cause the workers to end up being bonded to pay back their debts. Unpaid for their labour, these workers therefore are forced to be trapped into debts and an endless poverty cycle. This unfortunate event has been happening for at least the past 30 years and currently is being continued by second and third generations. The reasons given are usually they are indebted; thus, they have to work or are forced to work to repay their debts. However, in most cases the debts are not settled but increases as the employers or contractors will mark up the workers' expenses who are provided with shelter, food and grocery supplies since the workers are not allowed to leave their houses until they pay off the debts. Our internet search on Goodwood Estate and Ladang Ikatan Aktif failed to obtain much information except for the mentioning of Ladang Ikatan Aktif as a bordering estate on a map in page 53 RSPO [13] report. The company search document under the Company’s Commissions or SSM didn’t reveal much information except the addresses of shareholders who consisted mostly of Perak [14]. As for now, only Ramesh has lodged a police report against what happened to him and to date there is no progress on this matter. Ramesh has also completed his jail term after pleading guilty and is now a free man. He has left Bahau and started working at a different place completely unrelated to contract work in the plantation and he is much happier now receiving monthly wages at a new workplace far from Bahau. The rest of the people, workers, or others mentioned above that have affirmed about the continuing practises of bonded labour or “kottadimai” in Bahau, are unwilling to come forward as a witness to support their claims against their employer. In the end, they are the local people relying on odd jobs including the contract work offered by employers like Sashi. This is an important public interest case because many groups including NGOs and workers’ unions are still fighting and struggling for better minimum wage. Yet, a handful but influential employers continue to exploit not only the workers but also the weaknesses of the system by implementing the bonded wage system for generations without any fear. We received yet another similar case last month, again from Bahau, which shows this modern-day slavery is here to stay if we don’t expose and punish the perpetrators. [1] Special Action Programme to combat Forced Labour. (und). (und). ILO Indicators of Forced Labour. International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---declaration/documents/publication/wcms_203832.pdf [2] One of the estate workers, Lalitha, said the place earned the name ‘Gudugudu’ as the locals refer to Goodwood Estate in Bahau. [3] Extracted from Ramesh’s police report. Refer Appendix 1. [4]Lim Kit Siang. (1983, July 24). DAP Motion in Parliament tomorrow on Selancar Empat ‘hell estate’ exploitation. Retrieved from https://bibliotheca.limkitsiang.com/1983/07/24/dap-motion-in-parliament-tomorrow-on-selancar-empat-%E2%80%98hell-estate%E2%80%99-exploitation/ [5] Samy Vellu kesal terhadap kenyataan ketua polis. (1983). Berita Harian. [6] Bonded labour in estates. (2008). The Star. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2008/08/17/bonded-labour-in-estates [7] Kabilan, K. (2007, January 3). Escape from slavery. Malaysiakini. [8] Kabilan, K. (2007, January 4). Contractor denies supplying slave labour. Malaysiakini. [9] Print screen of Malaysian Tamilar Kural. Refer Appendix III [10] Pdf copy of Kamache’s FB posting. Refer Appendix IV [11] Pdf copy of Newspaper article. Refer Appendix V [12] Photo taken during our 2nd visit on 4th December 2021. Refer Appendix VI [13] Muhammad Syafiq, A.R. (2015). RSPO Principles & Criteria Public Summary Report Annual Surveillance Assessment 3 (Report No. CU817884). Control Union (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. www.rspo.org/uploads/default/pnc/Jeram_Padang_POM_ASA3_CU817884_Jeram_Padang_POM_2015.pdf [14] SSM documents search on Goodwood Estate Sdn Bhd and Ikatan Aktif Sdn Bhd. Refer Appendix VII. References Bonded labour in estates. (2008). The Star. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2008/08/17/bonded-labour-in-estates Kabilan, K. (2007, January 3). Escape from slavery. Malaysiakini. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/61590 Kabilan, K. (2007, January 4). Contractor denies supplying slave labour. Malaysiakini. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/61643 Kabilan, K. (2007, January 3). Shaken, rattled but mission accomplished. Malaysiakini. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/61693 Lim Kit Siang. (1983, July 24). DAP Motion in Parliament tomorrow on Selancar Empat ‘hell estate’ exploitation. Retrieved from https://bibliotheca.limkitsiang.com/1983/07/24/dap-motion-in-parliament-tomorrow-on-selancar-empat-%E2%80%98hell-estate%E2%80%99-exploitation/ Muhammad Syafiq, A.R. (2015). RSPO Principles & Criteria Public Summary Report Annual Surveillance Assessment 3 (Report No. CU817884). Control Union (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. www.rspo.org/uploads/default/pnc/Jeram_Padang_POM_ASA3_CU817884_Jeram_Padang_POM_2015.pdf Samy Vellu kesal terhadap kenyataan ketua polis. (1983). Berita Harian. Special Action Programme to combat Forced Labour. (und). (und). ILO Indicators of Forced Labour. International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---declaration/documents/publication/wcms_203832.pdf “This publication/story was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Internews and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.”