Obama aware of human rights issues in Malaysia

FZ.com
by Terence Fernandez

PETALING JAYA (April 28): He hardly raised an eyebrow and did not seem surprised –   that was how in tune US President Barack Obama was to human rights issues in Malaysia.

The 10 representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who had met Obama at the Ritz Carlton Hotel yesterday said the president was well briefed on the thorny issues facing Malaysia such as religious and racial extremism, the muzzling of the media, lack of free and fair elections, disregard for the Opposition, police brutality and the questionable independence of the judiciary.

 “He knew the issues and asked questions.

“Our interaction with him was on the basis that he knew what the problems were. He was well briefed,” said Datuk S. Ambiga who was representing the Malaysian Human Rights Society (Hakam).

She said while Obama believed prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was reformed-minded, he did not offer any excuses for the shortcoming of the Malaysian Government in addressing these concerns.

“It was very informal. We were initially given just 15 minutes where each of us had only a minute to say what we had to, but instead Obama asked why we were all standing and that we should get some chairs.

“So we carried some chairs … even he carried a chair and we sat around him and spoke for an hour,” she said when met at her office here yesterday.

Accompanying Obama was National Security Advisor Susan Rice and US Ambassador to Malaysia Joseph Yun.

“We made it clear Malaysia was neither a moderate Muslim nation, nor a democracy in the true sense of the word,” Ambiga said, adding that Obama was also told that any praise of Malaysia’s democracy would be undermining the work of the NGOs and civil liberty movement.

Ambiga said the president assured them that they will continue engaging on these concerns through the US Embassy, where issues that were of obvious infringements of human rights would be prioritised.

She said although Obama admitted he may not be able to highlight every concern, he said he would raise the issues with his Malaysian counterpart each time the opportunity arises.

“He seemed very sincere about it,” she said.

Obama in his public speeches had cleverly touched on issues of racial discrimination and respect for democracy without offending his hosts – a veiled signal to the Malaysian Government which is hoping to get US’ endorsement for a seat in the UN Security Council.

Sisters in Islam (SIS) meanwhile had told Obama that moderate Muslims are facing an onslaught by extremists.

“It was also pointed out by SIS that calls for respect for human dignity and progressive Islam is being labelled as a threat and deviant by extremists who preach hate and racial supremacy,” its executive director Ratna Osman said in a statement.

Honey Tan, of the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs (Comango) said politicisation of Islam was the biggest concern brought to Obama’s attention.

“Since Malaysia will assume the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2015, the president should encourage our prime minister to ensure space for civil society organisations are not constrained and activists not restrained from speaking out,” she said.

The meeting was also attended by Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) commissioner Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, Bar Council president Christopher Leong, Bersih 2.0 Chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) chairman Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Emeritus Rev. Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, the Council of Churches Malaysia head Rev. Dr Herman Shastri and Tenaganita’s Aegile Fernandez.

It had been reported that Hasmy complained about the toothless tiger Suhakam was where its annual report was not even tabled in Parliament.

Information on the prosecution of religious minorities was the input provided by Ahmad Farouk.