social issues in malaysia 2021

UNHCR deemed this a widespread problem. During the same period, three people died while in police lock-ups, and 188 prison inmates died. #3. The courts have ruled that the Orang Asli have rights to their customary lands under the constitution, but NGOs contended the government failed to recognize these judicial pronouncements. NGOs reported that agents or employers in some cases drafted contracts that included a provision for employees to sign over the right to hold their passports to the employer or an agent. 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. There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees. Social issues news. The alliance, led by parliamentarian and former youth and sport minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, had a successful social media launch, securing more than 300,000 member registrations in one month in late 2020. The charges came on top of two other corruption charges against Saddiq on July 22 for misappropriation of one million ringgit ($240,000) in funds that belonged to his former political party, Bersatu, led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin. Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): The law does not prohibit FGM/C, and it was a common practice among Muslim and some indigenous communities. The verdict ruled on an appeal of a Selangor State sharia courts 2019 conviction of a man for intercourse against the order of nature. The Federal Court found that existing federal legislation outlawing the same conduct for the same reason preempted the state law, meaning it was unconstitutional and hence the case should not have been brought nor ruled on by the sharia court. Malaysia's Political Polarization: Race, Religion, and Reform The government has the power to suspend publication for these reasons and retained effective control over the licensing process. Five agencies, including the Department of Labor of the Ministry of Human Resources, have enforcement powers under the law, but their officers performed a variety of functions and did not always actively search for indications of forced labor. 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. 2021 has been a crazy year. The government reserved large quotas for the bumiputra majority for positions in the federal civil service as well as for vocational permits and licenses in a wide range of industries, which greatly reduced economic opportunity for minority groups (see section 6, Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination). The government banned, restricted, or limited circulation of publications it considered a threat to public order, morality, or national security. Malaysia's total population was 32.98 million in January 2022.. Data show that Malaysia's population increased by 408 thousand (+1.3 percent) between 2021 and 2022.. 48.6 percent of Malaysia's population is female, while 51.4 percent of the population is male.. At the start of 2022, 78.2 percent of Malaysia's population lived in urban centres, while 21. . In July the Court of Appeal acquitted UMNO parliamentarian and former federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor of two million ringgit ($480,000) in corruption charges and overturned a 12-month jail sentence imposed by the High Court in December 2020. In August 2020, the Federal Court upheld the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty. Headspace on 1800 650 890. The Malaysian Bar Council claimed these restrictions were excessive. In February General Mills issued global no buy orders from palm oil producers FGV and Sime Darby Plantation due to forced labor claims. The great floods. . Umars wife, who viewed the body before the autopsy, said she saw swellings all over the body. The new government has taken a hard line on refugees, with the home minister stating that they have no status, rights, or basis to present any demands to the government. The authorities pushed boatloads of desperate Rohingya refugees who were trying to reach Malaysias shores back out to sea, claiming that they were doing so to prevent the spread of Covid-19. - STR/MIKAIL ONG. The prevalence of suicidal behaviour among adolescents is 17.1%, in which 11.9% had suicidal thoughts, 10.2% had a suicide plan, and 8.4% had made a suicide attempt. A November 2 hearing was fixed for Ibu Yati. See the Department of States Annual Report on International Parental Child Abduction at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html. It prohibits employers from retaliating against workers for legal union activities and requires reinstatement of workers fired for union activity. The constitution provides indigenous and nonindigenous persons with the same civil and political rights, but the government did not effectively protect these rights. I N KUALA LUMPUR, the chief city, as elsewhere in Malaysia, white flags hang from windowscries of help from . 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. The executive director of local human rights NGO Suaram, Sevan Doraisamy, reported that according to Suarams media monitoring, widely reported custodial deaths during the year pointed to a combination of a sense of impunity and poor health systems in detention centers.. Thursday, 18 Feb 2021 10:31 AM MYT. Cultural barriers and government policies impeded access to sexual and reproductive health services. PsychoSocial Nonetheless, police often denied detainees access to legal counsel and questioned suspects without allowing a lawyer to be present. Among the allegations was that the inmates genitals and anuses were pepper-sprayed, rendering them unable to urinate or defecate. 5 Social Issues In Malaysia. Police indicated he was also COVID-19 positive. 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. Millennials survey - Deloitte Malaysia Zahid faced charges filed in 2018 of corruption, money laundering, and taking bribes totaling three million ringgit ($720,000) from a company that ran a visa center for the workers, who paid tenfold higher costs for visa services and medical tests over a five-year period without receiving additional protections or benefits. The government cracked down on migrants, particularly Rohingya, who were put into detention centers for what it claimed was COVID-19-related quarantine.. 10 Examples of Social Issues in the US | Human Rights Careers Therefore, we have compiled a list of the biggest social issues of 2021 in this blog. Discrimination and Societal Abuses, Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination, Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, a. 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. However, it should be acknowledged that mental health issues do not discriminate just like adults, the young have been significantly impacted mentally and emotionally by the pandemic. Each of these groups has its own set of traditions, religions, and challenges. However, water issues are still a significant problem in Malaysia. The government focused on preventing sexual exploitation of children, including sex trafficking. Human rights organizations expressed serious concerns about the lack of access to fair legal process and adequate representation during immigration court hearings. According to the minister, of 30 investigations opened from March to October, 12 were brought to court, 14 were classified as no further action, and four remained under investigation. The social problems in Malaysia are getting worse to worst nowadays. Malaysia went from a success story in 2020 to calamity in 2021. Employment: Although the government does not authorize UNHCR-registered refugees to work, it typically did not interfere if they performed informal work. Some workers organizations were independent of government, political parties, and employers, but employer-dominated or yellow unions were reportedly a concern. Authorities often charged transgender persons with indecent behavior and importuning for immoral purposes in public. The organizers had held two street protests in July, demanding the prime ministers resignation, the reopening of parliament, and an automatic loan repayment moratorium for all. The police had opened 262 investigations into the spread of false and seditious news as of May 11, and 264 investigations into false news on Covid-19. There were scattered reports the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, mostly in the prison system. The four largest groups in Malaysia are the ethnic Malay, Chinese Malaysians, Indian Malaysians, and Malaysians from tribal backgrounds. 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. The government censored films for certain political and religious content, not allowing, for example, screening of films in Hebrew or Yiddish, or from Israel. In April a Pakistani UNHCR cardholder refugee was assaulted by a group of men in Selangor State who severed his genitals. Covering a range of teaching and learning challenges impacting learners and teachers, the contributors highlight the pervasiveness of the pandemic on Malaysian society and how Malaysians have found ways to cope. With their shared culture, religion and a very similar language, Indonesia was the single biggest contributor of immigrants to Malaysia. Viewed as illegal immigrants, refugees and others were subject to deportation at any time. In January, the High Court granted Sisters in Islam, a civil society group working to promote the rights of Muslim women, a stay on the enforcement of a fatwa issued against it in 2014. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings, c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees, f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence, a. As a result, after a deep recession in 2020, and assuming the pandemic is brought under control in Malaysia and globally, growth would rebound to 6.5 percent in 2021 as supply side . Otherwise, defendants must rely on legal aid, and the amount of time to prepare for trial is at the discretion of the judge. Bail is usually available for persons accused of crimes not punishable by life imprisonment or death. Causes of teenage suicide can be difficult to pinpoint and may involve several factors. The government did not effectively enforce laws prohibiting employers from seeking retribution for legal union activities and requiring reinstatement of workers fired for trade union activity. I appreciated the structure and the various pcs of information, Student ID:0303558T. If found guilty, the cost of deportation generally fell to the detainee, which led to prolonged detention for those unable to pay. In June the government expanded social security coverage to local and migrant domestic workers. In June, 40 religious NGOs and educator groups released a joint statement protesting an online program entitled, School as a Safe Place for Individuals of Various Sexual Orientations, alleging the event supported the open promotion of LGBTQI+ elements in schools. The statement argued that schools must be saved from elements of pro-unnatural sex orientations and transgenderism ideology that are against religious teachings. The online program proceeded as scheduled. 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. Malaysia raises mental health and social well-being concerns amidst pandemic. Nonetheless, NGOs reported continued discrimination against women in the workplace in terms of promotion and salary (see section 7.d.). The government allowed UNHCR and NGOs to work with these populations, but government cooperation with UNHCR was inconsistent. Freedom of expression came under attack immediately after the change in government, when authorities opened a sedition investigation into activist Fadiah Nadwa Fikri for organizing a protest against the method by which the new government came to power. Government-run family planning clinics often would not provide contraceptive services to unmarried young persons. The government also sought to hold online news portals responsible for comments posted by their readers. Cyberbullying Research in Malaysia It remained at 4.1% in 2022 and is forcasted to stabilised at -3.1% in 2023 and 2024. FEBRUARY 18 With the current four-digit infection cases and no sign that the situation will abate anytime soon, it would seem that Malaysia's macroeconomic conditions will worsen rather than improve for 2021. The UN panel urged the country to abolish the practice. Most migrants, refugees, and stateless persons lived in private accommodations and survived on support from UNHCR, NGOs, community-based organizations, refugee support networks, or illegal or informal labor. The government often resisted registering organizations deemed particularly unfriendly to the government or imposed strict preconditions. Recently, the statistics have shown an increase in abortion. In May Home Affairs Minister Hamzah Zainudin declared the government would round up and vaccinate undocumented migrants to help them and protect Malaysians. If the migrants did not come for vaccinations, the government would go after them, he told media, adding that authorities would then work with employers and embassies to get individuals documented only for the purpose of vaccination. Also known as social issues sometimes. 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. Girls age 16 and older can marry with permission of their states chief minister. Nonetheless, the ships departed later that day despite the court ruling. Sabri added that the government was serious about the issue, as Malaysia is a country that adheres to the religion of Islam.. State authorities continued to deny entry to certain national leaders to these states. Migrant workers also faced employment discrimination (see sections 7.b. Impunity was a significant problem in the security forces due in part to corruption and political influence over the police force. Due to the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to -3.5% in 2020 and -6.5% in 2021 of the country's Gross Domestic Product (Ministry of Finance Malaysia, 2022). As one of the biggest economies in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is an attractive destination for workers from neighboring countries seeking better wages and employment. The standard of care for those in detention is also problematic, with detainees dying of treatable illnesses. Although the law does not require groups to obtain a permit for assemblies, police frequently placed time, location, and other restrictions on the right to assemble. No judicial review is permitted for these measures. Immigration law allows authorities to arrest and detain noncitizens for 30 days, pending a deportation decision. It also affects how people react to certain situations. The time needed for a union to be recognized remained long and unpredictable. Examples can include: Illiteracy. For Muslims, most state Islamic laws set a minimum age of 16 for girls and 18 for boys, but permit marriages below those ages, with no apparent minimum, with the permission of a Sharia court. Close to nine in 10 (87%) HR executives in Malaysia believe the function plays a leading role in responding to COVID-19, KPMG's recent 2020 HR Pulse Survey has found. The law permits police to arrest and detain individuals for some offenses without a warrant, even outside situations of a crime in progress or other urgent circumstances. Anti-Semitism was a serious problem across the political spectrum and attracted wide support among segments of the population. The governments Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and SUHAKAM monitored prisons on a case-by-case basis. The constitution provides for the right of association; however, the government placed significant restrictions on this right, and certain statutes limit it. Other indicators, such as abuse of vulnerability, deception, physical and sexual violence, intimidation, and retention of identity documents, had remained at the same level as before the pandemic. She faced up to a year in prison and a fine of 50,000 ringgit ($12,000). The court ruled that the money received by Tengku Adnan from a businessman was a donation to UMNO, although it was deposited into an account of a company that belonged to Tengku Adnan. Corruption: Corruption and abuse-of-power criminal trials were ongoing for former prime minister and sitting member of parliament Najib Razak, United Malays National Organization (UMNO) political party president Zahid Hamidi, and opposition Democratic Action Party head Lim Guan Eng, among others. Estimates were as high as 30 percent of the workforce. Police must inform detainees of their rights to contact family members and consult a lawyer of their choice. The constitution provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association but allows restrictions deemed necessary or expedient in the interest of security, public order, or (in the case of association) morality. World Report 2022: Malaysia | Human Rights Watch