‘Include human rights budget’

KUALA LUMPUR: There is a need to include allocation for human rights issues in the national budget to ensure that at least minimum standards of human rights protection are met.

Malaysia Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) urged the government to provide sufficient budget for prisons and detention centres as many are still in poor condition despite recommendations for improvement.

Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph said one of the excuses given by authorities was a lack of funding from the government to improve facilities.

The issue came up when Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail, in a statement on Feb 3, called for proper allocation for all lock-ups in the country from the national budget.

During the commission’s visit to the Ayer Molek police lockup in Johor Baru on Jan 11, it was found that its condition is still unsatisfactory.

This is despite recommendations made after its first visit on July 31 last year.

“Ayer Molek lockup faces infrastructural problem as it is an old facility, effecting both inmates and officers.” – by Karen Arukesamy