PETALING JAYA: The human rights day celebration organised by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), which is initially slated to take place tomorrow, has been postponed to Sunday (Dec 9) after advice from the police.
Its chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail said it was with deep regret and severe disappointment that the commission was forced to suspend its celebration, after being told that there would be security risks.
“The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has informed Suhakam and the Prime Minister’s Office, without divulging details, that there will be serious security risks arising out of tomorrow’s event that borders on national security.
“Suhakam is disappointed that a government that is committed to human rights would seem to be influenced by tactics of pressure and extremism that has resulted in the need to postpone the celebration that was planned a few months ago.
“We apologise profusely to the public, our guests, the participants and volunteers to our celebration,” he said in a statement today.
The celebration that was initially scheduled tomorrow in Petaling Jaya was intended to commemorate the International Human Rights Day 2018.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was supposed to have attended and launched the programme.
While there are no further details regarding the postponement, it is believed that this was done in view of a separate mammoth gathering — the anti-ICERD (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) rally — planned on the same day.
The demonstration in Kuala Lumpur, which will see top leaders from Umno and PAS attend, is expected to draw a crowd of tens of thousands, and there have been worries that it may spark racial tension.
