Teach ignorant police about human rights

K Pragalath

Police should be protecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community who are minorities instead of harassing them.

PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has urged Suhakam to step in and advice and guide the Malaysian police force about human rights.

PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvam said that the Malaysia Human Rights charter recognised the rights of minority groups and the police should know this and stop harassing these groups.

“PSM calls upon SUHAKAM to advice the police on matters in relations to Human Rights.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as well as the Malaysian Human Rights charter does recognize these rights.

“The police should be protecting minority groups from intimidation and harassment and not play to the gallery,” he said in a statement today.

Arutchelvan said Article 1 to 3 of the UDHR states all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and the LGBT communities were entitled to the same rights and freedom.

Respect their lifestyle

He also said that the difference in value system and or lifestyle of the LGBT does not mean that their rights can be violated.

“As long as these communities do not encroach into other people’s freedom, their right to believe what they believe in, is their fundamental right.

“Just because we do not believe in their lifestyle or value system, does not give us any rights to violate theirs.

“All human beings deserve to be free from discrimination, harassment and violence regardless of their sexual orientations and their gender identities,” said Arutchelvan.

He was responding to Deputy Inspector General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar’s order yesterday banning the Seksualiti Merdeka festival.

The ongoing Seksualiti Merdeka festival has been an annual festival since 2008.

The week-long festival highlights the issues of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) communities in the country.

Yesterday Seksualiti Merdeka organiser Pang Khee Teik claimed that they were collateral damage because the festival would be officiated by Bersih 2.0 chairman, S Ambiga.


(2011-11-5/freemalaysiatoday)