https://aseanmp.org/2024/03/15/protecting-peace-and-harmony-in-multicult...
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) in partnership with the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB) is honored to invite you to the launch of the report of its fact-finding mission on peace and harmony in Malaysia following the 2022-2023 Elections as well as its Toolkit for Parliamentarians to Promote an Inclusive Malaysian Society through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Process.
The launch will be held at the Tactic 3 Room, Level 3 of the Aloft Hotel in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Malaysia on Wednesday, 20 March 2024 at 5:30 pm Kuala Lumpur time (UTC+8) followed by Buka Puasa Bersama and will be streamed live on APHR’s Facebook page. As seats are limited, we request those intending to attend in person to please RSVP via this link.
The event aims to raise awareness among parliamentarians, civil society organizations, and stakeholders in Malaysia about the urgent issues in the country, especially by the minorities, in relation to Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB); to empower parliamentarians to take a more proactive role in the promotion and protection of FoRB within the context of UPR and beyond; and to promote dialogue among key stakeholders to advance FoRB in Malaysia.
Members of Parliament, Civil Society Organizations, members of the press are cordially invited to join Buka Puasa and share a meal with us to launch these important documents.
Speakers at the launch include:
- Hon. Wong Chen, APHR Board Member and Member of Parliament, Malaysia
- Hon. Fernanda San Martin, IPPFoRB Director and Former Member of Parliament, Bolivia (online)
- Hon. Charles Santiago, APHR Co-Chair and Former Member of Parliament, Malaysia
- Hon. Kasthuri Patto, APHR Member and Former Member of Parliament, Malaysia
- Hon Maria Terezinha da Silva Viegas, APHR Member and Member of Parliament, Timor-Leste (online)
- Hon. Mohamed Irshad, APHR Member and Former Member of Parliament, Singapore (online)
- Hon. Amilbahar Mawallil, APHR Member and Member of Bangsamoro Parliament, the Philippines (online)
- Hon. Maria Chin Abdullah, APHR Member and Former Member of Parliament, Malaysia
- Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Farouk Musa, Senior Lecturer, Monash University
- Dr. Ryan Chua, Programme Director, Pusat Komas
Malaysia is a diverse and vibrant country in Southeast Asia that is home to a number of races, religions, and ethnic groups. Known for its tourism tagline “Malaysia Truly Asia,” it is a country rich with different traditions, customs, and practices. However, recently there has been an increase in polarization among different communities. This is exacerbated with the use of race and religion in politics. The rise of social media also contributed to the divisions leading to tensions and conflicts.
In response to growing concerns of polarization over religion and race in Malaysia, APHR in partnership with IPPFoRB undertook a fact-finding mission to assess the state of religious harmony and social cohesion in the country, focusing on the 2022 general and 2023 state elections. The mission’s delegation, composed of parliamentarians from the Philippines, Timor Leste, and Singapore, met with civil society organizations (CSOs), faith leaders, parliamentarians, and government representatives over three days.
Beyond deepening understanding of Malaysia’s freedom of religion or belief landscape, the mission also served as an opportunity for regional exchange to enhance understanding and address challenges related to this fundamental freedom. A preliminary statement was published immediately after the mission and comprehensive findings and recommendations will be presented in the final report.
In addition, as Malaysia recently underwent Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in January 2024, APHR and IPPFoRB developed a “Toolkit for Parliamentarians to Promote an Inclusive Malaysian Society Through the UPR Process.” This toolkit aims to empower parliamentarians with knowledge and tools to utilize the mechanism effectively, and mobilize them in using their unique role, inside and outside of parliament, to address key findings highlighted in the fact finding mission report to promote peace and harmony in Malaysia. Parliamentarians' role in the UPR is of vital importance especially in following up on the recommendations for Malaysia and ensuring that the government is able to implement them.
We look forward to your attendance at the launch.
For more information, please contact Kristina Uy Gadaingan at kristina@aseanmp.org or +60 11-1588 5838 or Ivan Wong at ivan@aseanmp.org or +60 12-679 3398.
