wr2014_web_0

WORLD REPORT 2014MalaysiaMalaysia’s general election on May 5, 2013, resulted in historic losses for theruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. Although the BN won 133 seats out of222, it lost the popular vote to the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PKR) coalitionamid widespread allegations of election irregularities. In an attempt to explainaway the election results, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak blamed a “Chinesetsunami” favoring the opposition, and raised concerns about ethnic and religiousfractures in multi-ethnic Malaysia.The election was followed by a significant deterioration in human rights and theapparent abrupt end to Prime Minister Najib’s oft-touted reform agenda.Relevant developments in the second half of 2013 included passage of new andrevised laws again permitting administrative detention without trial, newarrests of opposition activists for organizing peaceful protests, and repressionof political speech.Administrative DetentionFollowing the May election, the government launched a major campaign againstan apparent rise in crime that some officials attributed to the June 2012 expirationof the Emergency (Public Order and Crime Prevention) Ordinance 1969. Thehome minister recommended that the ordinance be reintroduced and thenhelped push through amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 thatreauthorize administrative detention without trial. The amendments empower afive-person government-appointed panel to impose up to two years’ preventivedetention on certain criminal suspects, decisions that are not subject to judicialreview except on procedural grounds. Up to five years of restricted residence inremote locations could follow, renewable for another five years as decided bythe home minister.The government also has proposed electronic monitoring for felons who haveserved out their sentences in violation of their basic rights.350