Discourse on Human Rights Issues in Sabah


SAWO, together with Amnesty International’s local group, organized a discourse on human rights issues in Sabah in Kota Kinabalu on 26 August 2006. The objective of this discourse was to create awareness of human rights issues and to encourage participants to take human rights actions in the organization that they represent, in the community, or as individuals. The topics were chosen to create a deeper understanding of human rights issues and to reflect current human rights issues which we think are pertinent in Sabah.

Mr Andrew Aeria, Chairperson of Amnesty International Malaysia, gave an overview on human rights issues. Mr K. Shan, Campaign Co-ordinator of Amnesty International Malaysia, spoke on human rights and policing in Malaysia, while SAWO’s President, Mary Lee, focused specifically on the human rights of women in Malaysia. Tan Sri Simon Sipaun, Vice Chairman of SUHAKAM (Human Rights Commission of Malaysia), shed light on the problems faced in tackling human rights issues in Malaysia. Finally, Mr Zakaria Ahmad Kreah from the Sabah Law Association advised on access to legal remedies in Sabah.