A question has been posed as to whether or not the government deems the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs (Comango) to be an ‘illegal organisation’.
A Home Ministry statementuploaded on its official website omits mention of this key fact, noted Bar Council human rights committee co-chairperson Andrew Khoo (right).
He said this statement differs from one issued to the media on Jan 8, specifically declaring Comango to be ‘illegal’.
The statement to the media went into length on the background of the coalition and concluded with the line: ‘Comango is therefore declared an illegal organisation.’
However, this sentence does not appear in the statement uploaded on the ministry's website.
"(It) would appear the ministry has withdrawn that categorisation (Comango is illegal) which means Comango is not an unlawful organisation. It is just one that is not registered and that fact as not changed," Khoo said.
He said it would be “prudent” for the Home Ministry clarify which version of the statement is correct as it has a bearing on Comango's legality.
Comango ‘pleased’
In an immediate response, the coalition said in a statement that it is “pleased to learn that the Home Ministry has decided that Comango is no longer ‘illegal’, a stance (the coalition) has always maintained”.
“However, we are deeply concerned that, instead of issuing a fresh press statement, it had quietly decided to merely delete the last sentence in the media statement dated Jan 8. We are disappointed that this change of stance was not made known to the media at all.
“This is in stark contrast to their action which accompanied the issuance of their original media statement in declaring Comango ‘illegal’ ...
“Comango is glad that the government has taken the advice of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in this instance to ‘maximise the space for human rights activists and organisations to operate freely’.”
The statement was jointly signed by Honey Tan Lay Ean (left) of Empower and Yap Swee Seng of human rights NGO Suaram on behalf of the coalition.
Comango, a coalition of 54 NGOs, had submitted its review of the national human rights situation when Malaysia went through its second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review by the UN Human Rights Committee last October.
Its critical review had highlighted the lack of recognition of the human rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, as well as raised issues related to freedom of religion.
This had irked the government and right-wing groups. Following relentless attacks in the state-owned and state-linked press, Comango was declared illegal.
A Home Ministry statementuploaded on its official website omits mention of this key fact, noted Bar Council human rights committee co-chairperson Andrew Khoo (right).He said this statement differs from one issued to the media on Jan 8, specifically declaring Comango to be ‘illegal’.
The statement to the media went into length on the background of the coalition and concluded with the line: ‘Comango is therefore declared an illegal organisation.’
However, this sentence does not appear in the statement uploaded on the ministry's website.
"(It) would appear the ministry has withdrawn that categorisation (Comango is illegal) which means Comango is not an unlawful organisation. It is just one that is not registered and that fact as not changed," Khoo said.
He said it would be “prudent” for the Home Ministry clarify which version of the statement is correct as it has a bearing on Comango's legality.
Comango ‘pleased’
In an immediate response, the coalition said in a statement that it is “pleased to learn that the Home Ministry has decided that Comango is no longer ‘illegal’, a stance (the coalition) has always maintained”.
“However, we are deeply concerned that, instead of issuing a fresh press statement, it had quietly decided to merely delete the last sentence in the media statement dated Jan 8. We are disappointed that this change of stance was not made known to the media at all.
“This is in stark contrast to their action which accompanied the issuance of their original media statement in declaring Comango ‘illegal’ ...
“Comango is glad that the government has taken the advice of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in this instance to ‘maximise the space for human rights activists and organisations to operate freely’.”
The statement was jointly signed by Honey Tan Lay Ean (left) of Empower and Yap Swee Seng of human rights NGO Suaram on behalf of the coalition. Comango, a coalition of 54 NGOs, had submitted its review of the national human rights situation when Malaysia went through its second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review by the UN Human Rights Committee last October.
Its critical review had highlighted the lack of recognition of the human rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, as well as raised issues related to freedom of religion.
This had irked the government and right-wing groups. Following relentless attacks in the state-owned and state-linked press, Comango was declared illegal.
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