Comango: Our UN report does not undermine Islam
The Coalition of Malaysian NGOs (Comango) has denied that its report to the United Nations Human Rights Council on its coming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on human rights was to undermine Islam and promote secularism in the country.
The Coalition of Malaysian NGOs (Comango) has denied that its report to the United Nations Human Rights Council on its coming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on human rights was to undermine Islam and promote secularism in the country.
The coalition, known as Comango, said this in response to allegations made by a group of Muslim NGOs (MuslimUPRo) that accused Comango of threatening the position of Islam in the country, along with a host of other allegations.
"Nowhere does it say in our report that we are questioning the position of Islam or the rights of Malays," Comango spokesperson Honey Tan Lay Ean (left) told reporters at a media briefing session today.
MuslimUPRo has pledged to go to Geneva next Thursday for Malaysia's UPR session, where the country's human rights standing will be reviewed by peer countries.
But Comango, which will be sending three representatives there after submitting its report as part of the stakeholders' report, said any group going to the UN must "promote" human rights and not undermine it.
MuslimUPRo had earlier said that it would be sending 17 representatives to the session, even though the summary prepared by the UN Human Rights Council does not list any report submitted by the group.
Briefing for other government members
Apart from its three representatives, two representatives from Jaringan Orang Asal Se-Malaysia (JOAS), one from Bar Council, and one representative from the Assajad Movement, representing the Shi’ite community here, will also be going to Geneva.
Even though they will not be allowed to present their views in front of the council this on Oct 24, Comango have booked a hall for a side-event where they will hold a briefing for other government members as an immediate response to the Malaysian government’s presentation of its report.
The government will present its report at about 8.30pm Malaysian time next Thursday, and Comango will be organising a live webcast of the government’s presentation.
Peer countries will be allowed to interfere, and make comments or suggestions throughout this duration.
The Human Rights Council is expected to adopt the recommendations made by peer countries and stakeholders for the countries under the UPR sometime in February, and Comango will then be allowed to present their views in front of the council, albeit for a very brief couple of minutes.
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