The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) welcomes the move by the Home Ministry to withdraw the deportation order of Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) vice-president Mu Sochua (above) and two other Cambodian activists who were held in detention at KLIA and permit them entry into Malaysia.

Suhakam, however, questions the reason for the initial detention and deportation decision of all three Cambodians, given that their detention was unwarranted in the first place. Their right not to be deprived of personal liberty is guaranteed by Article 5 of the Federal Constitution. Suhakam therefore urges the authorities to clarify their grounds for initially detaining the Cambodians.

Suhakam is also concerned by the lack of access afforded to the Cambodians in terms of communications and the ability to reach out to organisations such as the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

The commission hopes that organisations such as Suhakam and UNHCR will be given full and free access to such persons, that their ability to communicate will not be abridged. 

Suhakam also repeats its call for the government to ratify the 1951 UN Convention relating to the status of refugees to commit to the principle of non-refoulement provided by Article 33(1) of said convention so that such detentions shall not occur in the future.

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