Advocates & Solicitors
Tuesday, 7 December 2021
We are urging SUHAKAM to hold a public inquiry for the purposes of making findings and recommendations to the government to address the haze problem.
CERAH, Greenpeace Malaysia and 10 other civil society organisations have today submitted a human rights complaint to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM).
In the complaint, the CERAH Anti-Haze Coalition sets out the main causes of haze pollution, the impacts of toxic haze, the gaps in our legal system and calls on SUHAKAM to conduct a public inquiry into the problem. This inquiry should enable SUHAKAM to then make suitable findings and recommendations to the Malaysian government to address the gaps.
The CERAH Anti-Haze Coalition has identified four major themes for which human rights-related recommendations need to be made: the recognition of environmental rights in Malaysia, the governance of air quality in Malaysia, the governance of transboundary pollution and strengthening Business and Human Rights in Malaysia.
Dato’ Mah Weng Kwai, the SUHAKAM Commissioner who received the complaint, welcomed the collective action on this perennial problem and noted the timely submission of the complaint which came 3 days before the International Human Rights Day.
Dato’ Mah said SUHAKAM will work with the civil society organisations in planning the public inquiry.
For updates on the progress, look up:
(1) Greenpeace Malaysia’s website:
https://www.greenpeace.org/malaysia/press/49367/landmark-complaint-to-suhakam-for-public-inquiry-into-haze-as-a-human-rights-violation/
(2) CERAH’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=cerah%20-%20anti%20haze%20action
To hear more about this campaign, listen to Dr. Helena Varkkey and Jia Yaw speak with BFM’s Juliet Jacobs here:
https://www.bfm.my/podcast/the-bigger-picture/earth-matters/clearing-the-air-on-your-rights-to-clean-air
In the news:
(1) Malaysiakini, ‘NGOs call Suhakam to hold public inquiry over haze problem’
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/602149
(2) FMT, ‘Major gaps in haze pollution laws, say NGOs’
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/12/07/major-gaps-in-haze-pollution-laws-say-ngos/
(3) The Vibes, ‘New laws needed to address haze in SE Asia: environmental coalition’
https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/49146/new-laws-needed-to-address-haze-in-southeast-asia-says-environmental-coalition