Suhakam event attracts 200 people
PETALING JAYA: About 200 people watched plays and listened to speeches during the Human Rights Day 2018 celebration organised by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) at Padang Timur here.
With the theme #StandUp4HumanRights, the gathering was held to foster human rights awareness among Malaysians and to celebrate Malaysians and their rich heritage.
The event began at 9.30am yesterday with the singing of Negaraku and recital of the Rukun Negara.
Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail, Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto and Selayang MP William Leong delivered speeches, interspersed with stage performances.
Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah also attended the event.
The other guests were Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohd Ariff Md Yusof, activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, ambassador and head of the European Union delegation to Malaysia Maria Castillo Fernandez, UN resident coordinator for Malaysia and UNDP resident representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, Stefan Priesner and personnel from foreign embassies in Kuala Lumpur.
The audience was first treated to a play titled An Ongoing Struggle (Perjuangan Yang Belum Berakhir), centred on human rights awareness in society.
They were also treated to a shadow play or wayang kulit by the Padang Asun Wayang Kulit troupe of the National Culture and Arts Department, a sewang dance – a traditional dance for healing by the indigenous people of Pulau Carey, and a poetry recital by Nana the Poet.