PETALING JAYA: Human rights allow for and encourage collective success, says Tan Sri Razali Ismail.
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chairman said that it was due to this that there should not be any fear for human rights principles, such as equality, among Malaysians.
"Human rights empower us to enjoy collective success.
"Many governments have been able to achieve economic success because of their respect for human rights.
"People crave liberation from poverty, and citizens in nations that are built on greater economic freedom enjoy greater access to ideas and resources to participate fully in an increasingly interconnected and competitive world, leaving no one behind," said Razali in his speech at Suhakam's Human Rights Day gathering at Padang Timur here on Sunday (Dec 9).
The historic change of governments on May 9 this year, he said, was an example of Malaysians standing up for human rights.
"When Malaysians bring about change in Malaysia by voting against bad governance, we made the decision to reject corruption, to reject bad governance.
"These (corruption and bad governance) were violations against human rights.
"So, what we did on that historic day together as Malaysians, whether we realise it or not, was to stand up for human rights," he said.
He added that the principles of human rights were in line with all religions in the world, including Islam.
"Human rights has sometimes been misunderstood, seen as a threat to religion.
"To me, this view needs to be corrected as Islam is a religion that places importance on human dignity and that is what is being championed in (the fight for) human rights," he said.
Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto said in her speech that the government is committed to ensure that human rights is upheld in the country.
"Human rights will be a national agenda," said Kasthuri, adding that one of the examples of the government's commitment to human rights was the abolition of the National Civics Bureau (Biro Tatanegara), which she said espoused racism.
Selayang MP William Leong said that the people should help all those in need if we truly believe in human dignity.
He also said that there is a need to cultivate a new national ethos where all races, cultures and religions believe in the inherent dignity of man.
The gathering was organised in conjunction with the World Human Rights Day 2018 which falls on Dec 10.
The event was originally scheduled to take place on the same day as the anti-Icerd (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) rally on Saturday (Dec 8).
It was, however, postponed to Sunday due to security reasons.
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chairman said that it was due to this that there should not be any fear for human rights principles, such as equality, among Malaysians.
"Human rights empower us to enjoy collective success.
"Many governments have been able to achieve economic success because of their respect for human rights.
"People crave liberation from poverty, and citizens in nations that are built on greater economic freedom enjoy greater access to ideas and resources to participate fully in an increasingly interconnected and competitive world, leaving no one behind," said Razali in his speech at Suhakam's Human Rights Day gathering at Padang Timur here on Sunday (Dec 9).
The historic change of governments on May 9 this year, he said, was an example of Malaysians standing up for human rights.
"When Malaysians bring about change in Malaysia by voting against bad governance, we made the decision to reject corruption, to reject bad governance.
"These (corruption and bad governance) were violations against human rights.
"So, what we did on that historic day together as Malaysians, whether we realise it or not, was to stand up for human rights," he said.
He added that the principles of human rights were in line with all religions in the world, including Islam.
"Human rights has sometimes been misunderstood, seen as a threat to religion.
"To me, this view needs to be corrected as Islam is a religion that places importance on human dignity and that is what is being championed in (the fight for) human rights," he said.
Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto said in her speech that the government is committed to ensure that human rights is upheld in the country.
"Human rights will be a national agenda," said Kasthuri, adding that one of the examples of the government's commitment to human rights was the abolition of the National Civics Bureau (Biro Tatanegara), which she said espoused racism.
Selayang MP William Leong said that the people should help all those in need if we truly believe in human dignity.
He also said that there is a need to cultivate a new national ethos where all races, cultures and religions believe in the inherent dignity of man.
The gathering was organised in conjunction with the World Human Rights Day 2018 which falls on Dec 10.
The event was originally scheduled to take place on the same day as the anti-Icerd (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) rally on Saturday (Dec 8).
It was, however, postponed to Sunday due to security reasons.
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