Wednesday May 28, 2008 MYT 5:16:32 PM

Amnesty International calls for repeal of unjust laws

(The Star) PETALING JAYA: Amnesty International Malaysia (AIM) has called for all preventive detention legislation and all restrictive and emergency laws to be repealed.

It also calls for provisions relating to human rights in the Constitution to be strengthened, and for all limitations on rights, which negate the right itself, and is inconsistent with international standards to be removed.

"The Government has failed to live up to the aspiration made in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which was signed 60 years ago, despite being a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee," said AIM campaigns coordinator K. Shan.

"Human rights violation, injustice and impunity continue in Malaysia with the Government failing to act in protection of the people's rights and effecting reforms," he said at the launch of Amnesty International Annual Report 2008 here Wednesday.

The report was launched simultaneously with the European and American editions.

According to AIM, among the preventive detention laws that continue to undermine human rights in this country are the Internal Security Act, Emergency Public Order Preventive Ordinance, Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act 1985, Restricted Residence Act 1933, Essential (Clearance of Squatters) Regulations, Sedition Act, Printing Presses and Publications Act, Official Secrets Act, and Universities and University Colleges Act.

Shan said Malaysia, despite achieving 50 years of independence, had yet to give a new life to the emergency legislation left behind by the colonial powers.

"With the UDHR entering its 60th year in force, the Government must make fresh commitments to human rights and reforms," he added.

Amnesty International (AI) secretary general Irene Khan said the biggest threat to the future of human rights was the absence of a shared vision and collective leadership.

"Injustice, inequality and impunity are the hallmarks of our world today. Governments must act now to close the yawning gap between promise and performance," she said in a statement.

AI has challenged world leaders to apologise for six decades of human rights failure and re-commit themselves to deliver concrete improvements.

Khan cited human rights flashpoints in Darfur, Zimbabwe, Gaza, Iraq, China and Myanmar as those in need of immediate action.