Some observers indicated that children born to Muslim refugees and asylum seekers often had an easier time obtaining citizenship than non-Muslim refugees and asylum seekers. Some refugees holding UNHCR identification cards reported limited ability to move throughout the country because authorities sometimes did not recognize the UNHCR card. He said social media, while being an effective communication platform, can be abused and trigger discord when issues concerning race, income or religion are . Many human rights and civil society organizations had difficulty obtaining government recognition as NGOs. The Attorney Generals Chambers requested a fine of 200,000 ringgit ($47,500), but Yusuf fined Malaysiakini more than double that amount. On April 11, Defense Minister Ismail Saabri announced that the government would take stern action against online media that misreport the news. No laws provided for the protection of members of racial or ethnic minorities or groups against violence and discrimination. A prominent human rights advocate stated, the amount is not punitive. For children between ages 14 and 18, there was no list clarifying specific occupations or sectors considered hazardous and therefore prohibited. The Malaysian Trades Union Congress reported that 12-, 14-, and 18-hour days were common in food and other service industries. No judicial review is permitted for these measures. The courts increasingly encouraged the use of mediation and arbitration to speed settlements. The number of unemployed female graduates is much higher in comparison male graduates. The government often resisted registering organizations deemed particularly unfriendly to the government or imposed strict preconditions. were hot-button topics in 2020, but mental health awareness seems to have found the most success with stickiness, with 77% voting 'mental health' as their top 5 concerns in 2021, compared to 67% in the previous year. Alladin, one of the child sex offenders most wanted by global law enforcement authorities, was linked to at least 34 victims between ages two and 16; he had uploaded more than 1,000 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children over the course of 14 years. Although the codes five offenses infringing the rights of LGBTQI+ persons sodomy, homosexual activities involving women, changing gender, crossdressing as a female, and crossdressing as a male were not among the newly added crimes, observers expressed concern about the implications for the LGBTQI+ community. The government confirmed in September 2020 that Malaysia will not entertain requests from China to extradite Uyghur refugees and will allow them safe passage to third countries. Malaysia permits the death penalty for various crimes and makes the sentence mandatory for 11 offenses. The constitution provides for a fair and public trial, and the judiciary generally enforced this right. I am launching a website soon, and your information will be very useful for me.. WE NEED TO CONTROL OURSELF FROM NEGATIVE VIBRATIONS AND NOWADAYS NEED TO EXPERIENCE TO GET WORK AT ALL. The court scheduled a hearing for October 14, and the case continued at years end. The law provides for the rights to strike and to bargain collectively, but both were severely restricted. However, drug abuse among the youth in Malaysia is becoming a grave concern. In 2021, the UN's planned Food Systems Summit during the General Assembly will be an important moment, as well as a yearlong focusing mechanism, to help move the world toward a more sustainable model that addresses all these issues and more. The government did not effectively enforce laws prohibiting forced labor in some cases, and large fines as penalties were not commensurate with those for other analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. COVID-19 recovery. This is also one of the major social issues in India. The law requires equal pay for male and female workers for work of equal value. Applicants had to provide their name and address for their vaccine status to be recorded, and some feared authorities could use the information later to raid their homes. Freedom of the press has also come under attack. You can add more than one country or area. Member of parliament Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated on July 28, the doctors were questioned from midnight till 4 a.m., this is a form of intimidation and added that the physicians lawyer had been prevented from representing his clients. According to various statistics, the unemployment peak in April 2021 reached over 12.7% in the United States. In April the Selangor State government issued an eviction notice to the Mah Meri Orang Asli for illegally infringing upon government land, nine days after the state governments investment arm, Permodalan Negri Selangor Bhd, had awarded a 99-year lease for 101.62 acres of land in Mukim Sepang, Selangor, to a private ecotourism development company. Activist Numan Afifi expressed concerns about the escalation and trend towards more prosecution against the LGBTQI+ community in Malaysia, including separate proposals in April to increase sentencing terms against LGBTQI+ offenses under sharia. Employers did not respect laws on wages and working hours. It prohibits employers from retaliating against workers for legal union activities and requires reinstatement of workers fired for union activity. The BN lost to an opposition alliance . On June 3, Umar Faruq Abdullah, a truck driver, died at the Southern Klang District police headquarters in Selangor State, a day after police arrested him for stealing a gas cylinder. Defendants have the right to communicate with an attorney of their choice or to have counsel appointed at public expense if they face charges that carry the death penalty. Throughout the year there were numerous instances of police confiscating the cell phones of human rights defenders brought in for questioning. The government curbed freedom of expression, particularly freedom of the press. In Malaysia, or at least in Kuala Lumpur, homeless people have somewhat blended into the backdrop of the city. Among lots of social issues in Malaysia, i choose 5 social issues that i felt is the worst in Malaysia. Malaysia's political news continued to be a key agenda in the media last year, following a series of continuous and rapid political developments that took place in 2020. #3. Preventing violence. Investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division within the Royal Malaysian Police into the use of deadly force by a police officer occurs only if the attorney general initiates the investigation or approves an application for an investigation by family members of the deceased. NGOs and international organizations involved with these populations made credible allegations of overcrowding, inadequate food and clothing, lack of regular access to clean water, poor medical care, improper sanitation, and lack of bedding in the immigration detention centers. Estimates of the street-child population ranged from a few thousand to 15,000, many of whom were born in the country to illegal immigrant parents. However, drug abuse among the youth in Malaysia is becoming a grave concern. Nur Sajat failed to appear for her court date on February 23, citing a medical condition. The law does not recognize marital rape as a crime. The National Occupational Safety and Health Council composed of workers, employers, and government representatives creates and coordinates implementation of occupational health and safety measures. Several UN experts expressed concern that the crackdown was severely undermining efforts to fight the pandemic and immigration detention centers subsequently reported an increase in confirmed cases of Covid-19. In February 2021, the Malaysian government decided to build and manage a state-operated 5G . A July study by Newcastle University of 1,500 mainly migrant workers found that the following forced labor indicators in the country had worsened during the pandemic: restrictions on movement, isolation, abusive working and living conditions, and excessive overtime. The nationwide January-August state of emergency restricted freedom of assembly and prohibited worker strikes and protests. Authorities do not register children born to illegal immigrants or asylum seekers. In August 2020, the Federal Court upheld the constitutionality of the mandatory death . Police arrested Vinaiyagar on September 8 for alleged gangsterism, and he died five days later due to a ruptured stomach ulcer, per police reports. In December the NGO Suaram stated that deaths in police custody were severely underreported and reported there were 19 custodial deaths from January 20 through November 16. In July the Federal Court upheld a 2018 criminal defamation conviction against online news portal Malaysiakini for articles and videos published in 2012 about pollution allegedly linked to Raud Australian Gold Mining and ordered Malaysiakini to pay 550,000 ringgit ($132,000) in damages and costs. Police reportedly questioned Suaram staff to assess whether the film violated sedition or communications legislation but made no determination. Part of a mini series of Focus books on COVID-19 in Malaysia, the chapters in this book address the pandemic's impacts on education and literacy. Unless trends change this year, the annual total of newborns in the world's third-largest economy is on track to hit . Therefore, we have compiled a list of the biggest social issues of 2021 in this blog. UNHCR affirmed that authorities continued to disallow visits by its staff to detention centers to meet refugees and asylum seekers, determine those in need of international protection, and advocate for their release. There was also a sexual investigations unit at each police headquarters to help victims of sexual crimes and abuse, and police sometimes assigned psychologists or counselors to provide emotional support. Long delays continued in the treatment of union claims to obtain recognition for collective bargaining purposes. Also in February authorities investigated Malaysiakini chief editor Steven Gan and member of parliament Charles Santiago under sedition and multimedia legislation for issuing statements critical of the judicial ruling that the news portal was guilty of contempt. For refugees in Muslim marriages, the observers claimed authorities often accepted a UNHCR document or other documentation in lieu of a passport as proof of citizenship. Government Human Rights Bodies: The official human rights commission SUHAKAM is headed by a chairperson and commissioners appointed by the king on the recommendation of the prime minister. Speaking to local media, the former Court of Appeal judge declared it should not be acceptable to discriminate against the community or to treat its members as criminals. According to refugee groups, minority Chin and Kachin asylum seekers fleeing persecution and approximately a dozen children with at least one parent in Malaysia were also among them. Access to education was limited to schools run by NGOs and ethnic communities, and UNHCR estimated no more than 40 percent of refugee children attended school. In separate statements Batu Kawan member Kasthuri Patto and Petaling Jaya member Maria Chin Abdullah criticized Acryl Sani for his remarks about a police report made by a student, age 17, that a classmate had threatened to rape her after she called out her teacher for making jokes about rape. UNHCR deemed this a widespread problem. Authorities arrested Yusrazif as part of a special operation conducted by MACC and the Immigration Department since 2020 at the countrys entry and exit points that saw the arrest of 65 individuals, including 39 immigration officers, 17 agents, and nine civilians. NGOs continued to criticize the lack of resources dedicated to enforcement of the law. The immigration director general issued a statement confirming that the ships departed with 1,086 of the 1,200 Burmese nationals aboard. According to Abdul Rahman Hamid (2015), drug abuse issues in Malaysia is still trouble matter even though it is . Toh was released on bail but could face a substantial fine, two years imprisonment, or both. The last two years saw a series of continuous and rapid political developments, starting with the change in federal government in early 2020, alongside shifts in many state governments, and ending most recently with yet another government change in August 2021. In May families of 10 inmates filed police reports after their incarcerated relatives claimed to have been abused while under quarantine at Jelebu Prison in Negeri Sembilan. State authorities continued to deny entry to certain national leaders to these states. Nongovernmental Impact: Groups sympathetic to the sitting government sought to limit freedom of expression through public criticisms of expression deemed dangerous or criminal complaints of allegedly seditious speech. Even if the father is a citizen, the marriage may be considered invalid and the children illegitimate if the mother lacks proof of citizenship; such children were also considered stateless. Three constitutional articles provide the basis for an independent judiciary; however, other constitutional provisions, legislation restricting judicial review, and executive influence over judicial appointments limited judicial independence and strengthened executive influence over the judiciary. Nevertheless, many businesses could operate for years without an inspection. The king is the head of state, serves a largely ceremonial role, and has a five-year term. The great floods. Federal police reported approximately 20,000 internet addresses in the country uploading and downloading child pornography. The law provides citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage. The director general of trade unions and the minister of human resources may refuse to register or withdraw registration from some unions without judicial oversight. For example, a government unit charged with tightening border controls posted an illustration on social media that showed armed naval vessels threatening a boat and captioned it, Rohingya migrants, your arrival is not welcome (section 2.f., Access to Asylum). As the COVID-19 pandemic continues in Malaysia, mental health issues are taking a growing toll across the country. Rape and Domestic Violence: Rape of women or men is a criminal offense, as are most forms of domestic violence. In October the government revived a 2018 criminal defamation suit against British journalist Claire Rewcastle-Brown for her reporting on the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad financial scandal that led to the conviction of former prime minister Najib in 2020 on corruption charges and occasioned his continued prosecution on other corruption and abuse of power charges during the year. Many scholars have identified fundamental differences between the causes and consequences of issues experienced the rural and urban sectors. Also in September, MACC withdrew 29 charges of corruption against Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashi, a former UMNO parliamentarian and former director of the government-linked Federal Land Development Authority. 2021 saw the resignation . It has a parliamentary system of government selected through regular, multiparty elections and is headed by a prime minister. Police detained Reza after he compiled two Spotify playlists of songs that referenced either the queen, Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, or her Instagram question to followers if they were jealous of her and her servants for receiving early COVID-19 vaccinations. The government, however, did not mandate accessibility to transportation for persons with disabilities, and authorities retrofitted few older public facilities to provide access for persons with disabilities. Persons who lacked proof of citizenship were not able to access government services, such as reduced-cost health care, or own property. Mental health is generally related to depression, anxiety and stress. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. It is expected to be the second highest form of health problem after heart disease by 2020. Although parliament annulled the emergency ordinance in October, Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa declared that any ongoing investigations of fake news would not be affected by the annulment. Each of these groups has its own set of traditions, religions, and challenges. Child labor was also evident among migrant domestic workers. Malaysia has a healthy, robust, and industrialised economy. A lack of resources and qualified teachers limited opportunities for the majority of school-age refugee children. The plan outlined policies to increase access to education and attendance in schools, increase access to health education, address stigma and social norms on child marriage, and specify laws and guidelines on child marriages that are in line with government policies guarding the well-being of children. According to these NGOs, none of which were formally accredited to observe the polls, federal and state governments spent more than five billion ringgit ($1.2 billion) on handouts after legislatures had been dissolved and lawmakers were ostensibly prohibited from making new financial commitments. Human rights defenders, journalists, opposition leaders and others were investigated, arrested and prosecuted for criticizing the government. Parents applying for late registration must provide proof the child was born in the country. Viewed as illegal immigrants, refugees and others were subject to deportation at any time. It requires employers to identify risks and take precautions, including providing safety training to workers, and compels companies with more than 40 workers to establish joint management-employee safety committees. During the week preceding a July 31 Lawan (Fight) protest in Kuala Lumpur to demand the resumption of parliamentary sessions, a moratorium on the repayment of all loans, and the resignation of Prime Minister Muhyiddin for his handling of the pandemic, authorities reportedly summoned at least 20 activists, including youth activist Sarah Irdina, who was detained for 10 hours and charged with sedition for her tweet about the upcoming event (see section 1.d., Arbitrary Arrest). Employers of domestic workers sometimes failed to honor the terms of employment and subjected workers to abuse. The government does not recognize marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims and considers children born of such unions illegitimate. The religious NGO Ikram warned that some residents rejected the COVID-19 vaccine, believing it to be part of the Jewish agenda, that it contained nonhalal ingredients and tracking chips, and that it could cause death. Parents must register a child within 14 days of birth. Inspectors have the authority to conduct unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions. The government restricted access to the internet. 1 Liew Chin Tong, Middle Malaysia: Centre Ground Is Battle Ground (Kuala Lumpur: Genta Media . The erosion of support for Muhyiddin's government is tied to four issues. "Bribe/Corruption/Rasuah" and "Economy/Ekonomi" were the most frequent one-word responses. Everyone would agree about . Depression is an example of an adolescent issue that has always been around but has fortunately gained more public attention in more recent years. Therefore, all parties need to play their respective roles to curb this social problems. Leong had been arrested three times since November 2020 in connection with a break-in, under a statute designed to combat organized crime and terrorism. Significant human rights issues included: reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings by the government or its agents; reports of torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary detention; problems with the independence . In 2020 the NGO Womens Aid Organization reported that 9 percent of women who had ever been in a relationship experienced domestic violence and such violence was symptomatic of a deeper problem: gender inequality. A November report by the organization found that 53 percent of respondents believed domestic violence was a normal reaction to stress or frustration, and 43 percent believed a woman could so anger a man that he hit her without meaning to, suggesting a culture deeming such violence acceptable when perceived as an emotional gesture, or in the event the victim has behaved in a way that triggers the abuse. In Penang State, police as of July recorded a 35 percent increase in domestic-violence cases compared to 2020. Parts of the country were hit with devastating floods that lasted for days at the end of 2021 following non-stop heavy rains in the Klang Valley and the state of Selangor, Pahang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu. The Ministry of Home Affairs maintained a list of more than 1,700 banned publications as of November 2020. The religious department then issued a warrant for her arrest without bail and sent department officers looking for her, with police support. Noticeable changes in behavior, such as withdrawal from friends and family or violent and aggressive behavior, are among the many signs of potential teen suicide, but parents and mental health care providers also need to understand the causes of suicide in teens for effective prevention. Criminal defamation is punishable by a maximum two years imprisonment, a fine, or both. The political environment was hostile towards women. Malaysias efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19, while generally successful, had a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. In June, responding to prisoner deaths in the Gombak facility, the inspector general of police transferred Gombak police chief Arifai Tarawe to the Integrity Unit at Bukit Aman police headquarters. The Malaysian government has implemented deterrent and supportive strategies to reduce the issue by penalising polluters and providing tax . Media reported the prison only informed the family on February 19 and only agreed to conduct an autopsy after the family filed a police report. Local advocates contended that imprisoned transgender women served their sentences in prisons designated for men and that police and inmates often abused them verbally and sexually. In August, Alladin Lanim was arrested for online child exploitation and sentenced to 48 years and six months in prison and 15 strokes of the cane after joint investigations by the Royal Malaysian Police and Australian Federal Police revealed he was sexually abusing children at a plantation in Sarawak State and sharing the material online. Freedom of Expression: The law prohibits sedition and public comment on issues defined as sensitive, including racial and religious matters or criticism of the king or ruling sultans. Noting that Malaysiakini, Astro Awani, Free Malaysia Today, and the China Press had been subjected to police investigations, the foregoing media groups declared that the press should not be summoned by the government or threatened with action based on articles they publish in their capacity as the media, and termed harassment of journalists for doing their jobs a tactic to stifle press freedom.. Most concerning environmental issues in Malaysia 2019. In July authorities charged Toh Han Boon for producing and promoting the movie Babi, which the government banned in 2020 over its portrayal of race relations in the country. The nongovernmental organization (NGO) Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together (EDICT) accused the government and police of not taking the issue seriously and called for a coroners inquest to determine the cause of death. Women experienced some economic discrimination in access to employment. Womens groups asserted the courts were inconsistent in punishing rapists. Americans' views of the problems facing the nation. The NGO Sisters in Islam declared that Kelantan first minister Ahmad Yakobs characterization of the code as restorative and retributive posed a grave concern and asked what this meant for actions deemed crimes under the code in the context of the looming tabling of legislation in federal parliament allowing sharia courts to mete out stiffer penalties. The standard of care for those in detention is also problematic, with detainees dying of treatable illnesses. In February the government introduced the Workers Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act as an emergency ordinance during the state of emergency compelling employers and centralized accommodation providers to provide lodging with sufficient living space and amenities for migrant workers to effectively control the spread of COVID-19. Continue reading and get to learn about the 10 common social issues around the world. The government generally did not impede organizations providing protection and assistance to migrants, refugees, and stateless persons, most of whom lived intermingled with the general public. Malaysia has also joined the World Health Organizations Solidarity Call to Action, calling for a Covid-19 Technology Access Pool to realize equitable global access to Covid-19 health technologies through pooling of knowledge, intellectual property and data., Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice, Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Trafficking Victims, Bidens Challenge: Redeeming a US Role for Human Rights, Addressing the Climate Crisis in Times of Pandemic, From Flight Logs to Homeschooling, Human Rights Watch Grapples with Covids Challenges, As Online Gender-Based Violence Booms, Governments Drag Their Feet, The Other Pandemic: Fighting Inequality as We Beat Back Covid, Poverty, Pandemic, Police Violence: Ongoing Crises Demand the US Address Pervasive Racism. Police abuse of suspects in custody and a lack of accountability for such offenses remained a serious problem. Online media outlets were more independent but were often the target of legal action and harassment. Minimum wage rates varied according to location and were less than Ministry of Finance-published poverty income levels in Sabah and Sarawak states. Smoking . Employers routinely asked women their marital status during job interviews. What is the example of reference variable? NGOs reported a police practice of releasing suspects and then quickly rearresting them to continue investigative custody without seeking judicial authorization. Eight of 14 Federal Court judges were women, including Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat. exceso de noradrenalina,