SIS Forum (Malaysia), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR) issued this joint statement following the two-day Pesta Right-Yat! on 5–6 December.
The event was held at the Grey Box, GMBB Kuala Lumpur, in conjunction with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and International Human Rights Day.
Pesta Right-Yat! was designed as a public-facing, community-rooted call for justice, equality and freedom.
The festival brought together education, culture and creative expression to strengthen solidarity and make human rights conversations accessible to the public, beyond policy or technical spaces.
Over the two days, the event was expected to welcome more than 500 participants.
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At the launch of Pesta Right-Yat!, the EU ambassador to Malaysia, Rafael Daerr, stated: “I hope the event will help us all improve the output and impact of what this event stands for: human rights, solidarity, mutual respect and cultural diversity.”
In her remarks, SIS Forum representative Nik Shazarina Bakti noted that the festival was built on a clear principle: “Women and young people must be included as active agents and decision-makers, not just as beneficiaries.”
She emphasised that Pesta Right-Yat! aims to create safe, inclusive spaces where members of the public can engage with rights issues through dialogue, culture and community-building.
Suaram executive director, Azura Nasron, also highlighted the urgency behind the festival’s message: “This event shows that we can remain united and continue resisting, even as we face new challenges.
“Many of the reforms long hoped for are still incomplete. With the 16th General Election approaching, we want more than just a change in leadership; we want long-term, systemic change.”
She added that the name “Pesta Right-Yat!” reflects its spirit: standing up for the right to assemble, to express, and to be free.
According to Mazni Ibrahim, the MCCHR’s chief human rights strategist, the festival aims to bring human rights conversations down to earth and back to the people. “We want people to understand their rights not just on paper, but in their everyday lives.
“Conversations around hate speech, internet freedom and other human rights issues shouldn’t be limited to lawyers or policymakers. Through our strategic litigation work, we’ve seen how making complex legal concepts accessible can empower communities. That’s the spirit behind Pesta Right-Yat!”
Programme highlights
Across the festival, participants engaged with a diverse range of activities, including:
- The launch of Suaram’s 2025 Human Rights Overview Report, providing a snapshot of the state of civil and political rights in Malaysia, including civic space, freedom of expression, and the situation of marginalised groups
- The Suaram Human Rights Award 2025, presented to North South Initiative and Suara Mahasiswa UMS. Shortlisted nominees included Gegar and Students Against Genocide
- The launch of MCCHR’s strategic litigation internet freedom manual for legal practitioners, strengthening efforts against censorship, surveillance and digital rights violations
- A series of forums, featuring experts across various fields, covering issues such as gender-based violence, interfaith harmony, digital freedom, labour migration, hate speech, artistic expression and policing powers
- Cultural performances including makyong, wayang kulit, traditional Indian dance, tarian Borneo, poetry and music – reinforcing that civic participation belongs to the public, not institutions alone, and that tradition is a living form of expression rather than static heritage
- Sayembara Suara Inspirasi Serikandi, SIS Forum (Malaysia)’s national public speaking initiative. After receiving numerous online submissions, the top five finalists will compete live at the festival. The competition aims to empower women and youth to speak up for justice and human rights, tackling issues ranging from bodily autonomy and child marriage to domestic violence, workplace harassment and cyber violence against women
Our shared commitment
This festival reaffirms our shared objectives:
- to promote civil and political rights, including freedom of expression, assembly and association
- to empower women and young people with platforms to advocate for equality and safety
- to strengthen solidarity across communities and service providers
- to create safe, inclusive spaces for dialogue through forums, art, culture and performance
Ending gender-based violence requires more than slogans. It demands survivor-centred systems, credible accountability, public literacy on rights and remedies, and a civic space where people are not punished for organising, speaking, creating or resisting.
Pesta Right-Yat! is one part of this ongoing work, and we will continue it. – SIS/Suaram/MCCHR
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