Singapore, Ministry of Law and Human Rights

[fivestars]

We need a Ministry of Human Right in Singapore Parliament?

For general enquiries and feedback, we can be contacted at

Ministry of Law
The Treasury,
100 High Street #08-02,
Singapore 179434
Tel: (65) 6332 8840
Fax: (65) 6332 8842
Email:[email protected]
Feedback on service quality: 1800 3341878

The Justice and Human Rights Ministry
UNDP Indonesia Country Office
Menara Thamrin 8th Floor
Jl. MH Thamrin Kav. 3
Jakarta 10250
Phone: +62-21-3141308
Fax: +62-21-39838941




SINGAPORE: Singapore says the final document on the proposed human rights body of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) will be a “political compromise.”

Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo said the document would reflect the current state of consensus on human rights in Asean member countries at a particular time although “it will not be a perfect document.”

He said this in his written reply to Parliament Tuesday, on Singapore’s position on the draft terms of reference for the proposed human rights body and the progress of the drafting work by the High Level Panel.

The grouping is currently finalising the draft proposal which is expected to be endorsed by Asean foreign ministers at the Asean Ministerial Meeting in Thailand this July.

The first draft was presented to the foreign ministers for comments during the 14th Asean Summit in ChaAm, Thailand on Feb 27.

The regional human rights body is expected to be launched by the Asean leaders at the 15th Asean Summit, also in Thailand, in October.

Yeo said although the document would be adopted in July, the grouping would continue to improve it one step at a time, adopting what it called “an evolutionary approach.”

The minister said Asean members were diverse in their opinions on the human rights body and “this diversity is a political reality that cannot be wished away.”

He said some member states preferred a body which was less intrusive because they believed that Western countries and non-governmental organisations might manipulate it to interfere in their domestic politics.

But there were also other members who argued that a robust and credible human rights body would help the grouping address this issue on its own terms, added Yeo.

Saying he was not pessimistic on the matter, the minister said looking only a few years ago, no one could have imagined that today, Asean would be seriously considering establishing a human rights body.

He said the initial positions among Asean member states were so polarised that some of them then did not dare to believe that Article 14 of the Asean Charter on the establishment of an Asean human rights body was possible.

“That we are today, agreed that Asean should create such a body is thus, a major step forward,” added Yeo.

So, he said, even if the High Level Panel were unable to move the terms of reference forward, from where it was in February, Asean was already better off than before. -- Bernama

 

[captainxerox]

Singapore, Ministry of Law and Human Rights

- i don't know how you can write all this in the same line. there is no such thing. lol

 

[fivestars]

Malaysia and Indonesia are World Class Countries?

Singapore is third class country?

We can buy kopi or undertable UNCHR?

Pay money save Human Right problem?

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) was established by Parliament under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999, Act 597. The Act was gazetted on 9 September 1999. The inaugural meeting of SUHAKAM was held on 24 April 2000.

The initiative to set up a national human rights institution in Malaysia began with Malaysia's active participation in the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) in 1993-95 when it was elected as a member of the Commission by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Malaysia was honored in 1995 with the election of the leader of the delegation, Tan Sri Dato' Musa bin Hitam, as the Chairman of the 52nd session of the UNCHR. Malaysia was elected to serve a second term in the UNCHR from 1996-98 and its third term from 2001-2003.

The impetus for the Malaysian Government to finally consider the setting up of a national human rights institution came from several sources. Malaysia's active involvement in the UNCHR was one. The international attention on human rights as a result of the success of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna where governments, including Malaysia, agreed that human rights are universal and indivisible, and they recognized the importance of setting up national human rights institutions, also influenced the Government.

As leader of the Malaysian delegation to the UNCHR, Tan Sri Musa, in 1994 first suggested to the Government that the time was right for Malaysia to establish its own independent national human rights institution. Several factors influenced this proposal: the growing international emphasis on human rights and recognition that it crosses boundaries and sovereignty; Malaysia's active involvement in the United Nations system; the changing political climate in Malaysia with a more politically conscious electorate and dynamic civil society. By the mid-1990s, seven Asian countries, including two from ASEAN - Indonesia and the Philippines - had already established national human rights institutions, while Thailand was in the midst of setting up its own.

On 24 April 1999, five years after the idea was first mooted, the Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, announced that the Government would table a Bill in the July 1999 sitting of Parliament to establish the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia. The Bill was guided by the Paris Principles of 1992 which provided the international criteria by which an independent human rights commission should be established, and also by the experience of established human rights institutions, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

On 3 April 2000, the Government announced the appointment of SUHAKAM's first Chairman, Tan Sri Dato' Musa bin Hitam, and the 12 other members of the Commission to serve a two-year term, which is renewable. The appointments were made by His Majesty the Yang DiPertuan Agong on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Although the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act allows for the appointment of up to 20 members, it was decided that SUHAKAM would begin its task with 13 members until such time when more are needed. SUHAKAM members were selected to reflect the diversity and pluralism of Malaysian society and also on the basis of the experience, commitment, independence and integrity of the individual.

In order to carry out its duties and functions more effectively, specific working groups was formed on education and promotions, law reform, treaties and international instruments, economic, social and cultural rights, and complaints and inquiries.


SUHAKAM's temporary office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2000)
The SUHAKAM secretariat began operating from a container cabin at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra). This was due to space constraints at the Ministry. The Commission finally rented its own premises on the 29th and 30th floors of Menara Tun Razak at Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur and moved in on 24 November 2000. The building was chosen in particular for its central location and easy access to the public.

 

[fivestars]

ASEAN shall sign join UNHRC.

Singapore can refuse to join?


The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System. The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly. Based in Geneva, the UNHRC's main purpose is to make recommendations to the General Assembly about situations in which human rights are violated.[1] The UNHRC has no authority except to make recommendations to the General Assembly. The General Assembly has no authority except to advise the Security Council.

The General Assembly established the UNHRC by adopting a resolution (A/RES/60/251) on 15 March 2006. The United States, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Israel voted against the resolution. The United States said the UNHRC did not have adequate provision to keep states which abused human rights from being on the Council. Belarus, Iran, and Venezuela abstained from voting. Venezuela said that the resolution had some troubling provisions, including the implicit permission to states to intervene in the internal affairs of other states.[2]

On 18 June 2007, one year after holding its first meeting, the UNHRC adopted its Institution-building package, which provides elements to guide it in its future work. Among the elements was the Universal Periodic Review. The Review will assess the human rights situations in all 192 UN Member States. Another element is an Advisory Committee, which serves as the UNHRC’s think tank, and provides it with expertise and advice on thematic human rights issues, that is, issues which pertain to all parts of the world. Another element is a Complaints Procedure, which allows individuals and organizations to bring complaints about human rights violations to the attention of the Council.

The UNHRC works closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and engages the United Nations' Special Procedures.

 

[fivestars]

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Commission (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Dewan Rakyat Wednesday after bloc voting was called for twice.

The first bloc division was called at the second reading at about 1pm, with 45 Barisan Nasional MPs voting for the bill and 36 Opposition MPs against.

The second bloc division was called at about 3.30pm when the bill reached the committee stage with 50 Barisan MPs for versus 39 Opposition MPs against.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee then announced that the bill was passed.

The bill, tabled for first reading on Tuesday, received strong protest from Opposition MPs due to a lack of time to prepare for it. Many questioned the reason for it being “rushed through.”

Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), who was suspended Wednesday morning for few hours after heated argument erupted between him and backbenchers while debating the bill, returned to the table in the afternoon sitting to propose three amendments.

However, Lim’s proposal was shot down as it required “one day’s notice,” said Ronald.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz, in his reply, said the reason to pass the bill was to comply with the requirements set by the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) so that Suhakam (the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia) would retain its Grade A category.

“As a citizen of the United Nations, we would have to comply with ICC’s requirement,” he said.

On why there was a delay in tabling the bill -- the deadline for compliance was Wednesday March 26 itself, and notice was given last April -- Nazri said the Government took some time to gather feedback and had held many meetings.

“Such matters take time. The papers and views from various agencies only came back to us on Oct 13 last year.

“There was the general election, the formation of Cabinet, the royal address, supplementary supply bills and other things to handle.

“We only have three days to debate bills and there are so many bills pending,” he said.

When winding up at the second reading stage, Nazri said he would look into R. Sivarasa’s (PKR-Subang) suggestion that members of the Commission serve full time.

At the Parliament Lobby later, Nazri said the Opposition should support the bill unless they wanted Suhakam to be downgraded from A to B.

He said Suhakam’s annual report will be tabled in the next Parliament sitting in June.

“The report is with the Cabinet and it has yet to approve the report,” he told reporters.

Earlier, Lim said he was made to understand the annual report of Suhakam was ready and asked why it was not tabled in the House.