Hakam notes the negative backlash towards the appointment of a person in the Ministry of Youth and Sports simply because he/she is from the LGBT community or had in the past campaigned on LGBT issues.
Hakam strongly condemns this form of discrimination against members of the LGBT community in Malaysia. No person should be denied opportunities in employment and career progression, be it within the public or private sphere, on grounds of sexual orientation.
The right to equality and non-discrimination is protected under Article 8 of our Federal Constitution. Further, the right to life enshrined under Article 5 of our Federal Constitution includes the right to live with dignity and the right to earn a livelihood.
Article 2 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights also states that everyone is entitled to rights and freedoms regardless of sex.
Hakam therefore urges the government to uphold the these principles of equality and non-discrimination at all levels of appointment within the public service.
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It was Mahatma Gandhi who is often attributed as saying: “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members”.
Let us all strive to be a great nation in this new Malaysia.
Lim Wei Jiet is secretary-general of Hakam. This statement was made on behalf of the Hakam executive committee.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
There has been much unfavourable views on this group of people. These ranged from mild disdain for them to an outright call to punish them.. I suppose this is an expected manifestation of the human attitude towards somebody who is different and does not conform to what is “normal” and “acceptable” behaviour. To these critics,please note that this group of people (the LGBT) had not asked to been born to be what they are. Having been born as such and developed their “abnormal” tendency they have been suffering from discrimination and ridicule throughout their lives. This unfairly leads to an insecurity in their lives which I am sure many do not wish to live in, or do they?