HUMAN rights have remained unchanged in Malaysia since the last Country Reports on Human Rights, according to the US Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Bureau. 

But unlike in previous years, there were no reports the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings, and no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities, the agency said.

However, in July 2023, police had probed into the disappearances of democracy and rights activist Thuzar Maung and her family, who are from Myanmar, as well as those of UN refugee cardholders who were allegedly abducted by men posing as policemen.

On discrimination against women, the agency said the government did not effective enforce rape laws.

Women’s groups claimed the courts were inconsistent in punishing rapists and investigation into accusations of rape and gender-based violence was inadequate, it said in a report published today.

It said there was little accountability for alleged rapists.

On the Malaysia’s posture on international and non-governmental oversight and investigation into alleged abuses of human rights, the report stated “many human rights and other organisations had difficulty obtaining government recognition as NGOs”.

“Subject to varying degrees of government restrictions, domestic and international human rights groups operated, investigated, and published their findings on human rights cases. The government was not always cooperative or responsive to their views,” the report said.

As a result, it said many such groups were registered as companies, which created legal and bureaucratic obstacles to opening bank accounts, paying staff, and fundraising.

“Authorities frequently cited a lack of registration as grounds for action against organisations. Some NGOs also reported the government monitored their activities to intimidate them.”

Significant human rights issues mentioned in the report included cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by government entities; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including censorship or enforcement of criminal libel laws to limit expression; serious restrictions on internet freedom; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association; restrictions on freedom of movement within the country and on the right to leave the country; refoulement of refugees to a country where they would face torture or prosecution; serious government corruption; serious government restrictions on or harassment of domestic human rights organisations; extensive gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation/cutting; substantial barriers to reproductive health services; trafficking in persons; laws criminalising consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, which were enforced; and violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex persons.  – April 23, 2024.