By Datuk Kuthubul Zaman, PROHAM Chairman
PROHAM
was registered with the Registrar of Societies on 10th March 2011,
making us 6 years old. The question to be asked I suppose is; over the 6 year
period what has PROHAM achieved? Have we achieved what we set out to do those
six years ago? When we first started, we were always aware of our shortcomings
in being a small society with limited resources. However, powered by our ideals
of a Malaysia as a rights-respecting democracy, we, along with our compatriots;
Hakam, Suaram, the Malaysian Bar, Bersih, Suhakam and the many other NGOs have
worked diligently at the promotion of Human Rights in Malaysia. It is therefore
very disheartening that despite all the work put in, human rights in Malaysia
is regressing instead of progressing.
So
where have we gone wrong? Could we have done better? Could we have done more? To
answer these questions, our very conscientious outgoing Secretary General,
Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria decided to document all the work done by PROHAM
over the last 6 years in book form entitled ‘Championing Human Rights in
Malaysia: PROHAM through the years 2011 – 20116’. It is a tasked well carried
out, despite the short period of less than 30 days. Both Tan Sri Simon Sipaun
and I were merely given a few days to give our overview as the book needed to
go to the printers as soon as possible.
Finally,
today you can see for yourself the printed copy of the book ready to be
launched. You will see from the contents all the work that we have all done in
the name of promoting Human Rights in Malaysia. This includes no less than 62
Roundtable discussions, a total of 134 press statements released on various
human rights issues and concerns. Despite our membership of only 18 full
members and four Hon members, this book is testimony to the small legacy that PROHAM
has already left behind and to the tireless efforts of all of us in realising
our ideals.
With
that glimpse to the past and with renewed vigour for the next term, I hereby
officially launch ‘Human Rights in Malaysia: PROHAM through the years 2011 –
2016’! May the coming terms prove to be just as fruitful. Thank you.
March
23, 2017 at the PROHAM’s 7th AGM
No comments:
Post a Comment