Suhakam's Human Rights Day gathering kicks off at Padang Timur (updated)

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's  (Suhakam) Human Rights Day gathering opened on Sunday (Dec 9) with the singing of the national anthem and the recital of the Rukun Negara.  

It also featured a play called "Perjuangan Yang Belum Berakhir" (The Ongoing Struggle).

The play is about human rights awareness in society. 

The crowd was later entertained with a song performance, "Standing in the Eyes of the World," by a member of Suhakam. 

Also present were Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail, Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto, Ambassador and head of the European Union (EU) delegation to Malaysia Maria Castillo Fernandez, activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin, Parliament speaker Datuk Mohd Ariff Md Yusof and Selayang MP William Leong.

Apart from speeches delivered by Razali, Kasthuri and Leong, a wayang kulit performance by the Padang Asun Wayang Kulit Troupe, of the National Culture and Arts Department entertained the crowd.
 
Nana the poet delivered a slam poetry performance, while the crowd enjoyed a performance by a troupe of dancers from Pulau Carey near Port Klang.

The public also took the opportunity to visit the booths set up at the gathering.

 

The event, held at Padang Timur here, was organised in conjunction with the World Human Rights Day 2018 which falls on Dec 10.

It 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.