Indigenous persons are governed by customary laws with no fixed minimum age for marriage. Malaysia permits the death penalty for various crimes and makes the sentence mandatory for 11 offenses. In February the High Court sentenced former federal minister and Negeri Sembilan States longest serving chief minister, Isa Samad, to six years imprisonment and a 15.4 million ringgit ($3.7 million) fine on nine counts of corruption and bribery for accepting three million ringgit ($720,000) in bribes in connection with luxury hotel purchase transactions. Defendants also may apply for a public defender in certain other cases. Nur Sajat crossed into Thailand, and UNHCR granted her refugee status. Authorities frequently cited a lack of registration as grounds for action against organizations. The new government, headed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, aggressively cracked down on critical speech and protest, backed away from creating a truly independent police complaints commission, and took a hard line on the treatment of refugees and undocumented migrants. In February the High Court ruled against the Semelai Orang Asli claim for customary rights over a plot of land in Pahang State to make way for an oil palm cultivation project. Employers reportedly restricted workers movement and use of mobile telephones; provided substandard food; did not provide sufficient time off; sexually assaulted workers; and harassed and threatened workers, including with deportation. Nevertheless, many businesses could operate for years without an inspection. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process, Section 4. Speaking to local media, the former Court of Appeal judge declared it should not be acceptable to discriminate against the community or to treat its members as criminals. On May 13, police detained two boys, ages 12 and 13, at a local police station in Sentul, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, on suspicion of throwing firecrackers at policemen sent to disperse a crowd of approximately 200 setting off fireworks. Alladin, one of the child sex offenders most wanted by global law enforcement authorities, was linked to at least 34 victims between ages two and 16; he had uploaded more than 1,000 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children over the course of 14 years. The stay followed a hearing on a joint filing against the government by Amnesty International Malaysia and Asylum Access Malaysia, alleging that among the deportees there were documented refugees, asylum seekers, and minors separated from parents residing in Malaysia. According to a survey on mental health and wellness conducted by Rakuten Insight in Malaysia in May 2022, 59 percent of the respondents . In August police stopped a candlelight vigil organized by the NGO Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat to commemorate COVID-19 victims in Kuala Lumpur and arrested 31 activists for violating infectious disease control regulations despite participants following all necessary COVID-19 standard operating procedures for gatherings. Need to possess their interpersonal skills in order to decrease the number of unemployed among them. Those convicted of a first offense face a token fine and a maximum sentence of 14 days in jail. Isa was granted a stay pending his appeal. ReachOut at au.reachout.com. Supporting the essential social work workforce. In May Home Affairs Minister Hamzah Zainudin declared the government would round up and vaccinate undocumented migrants to help them and protect Malaysians. If the migrants did not come for vaccinations, the government would go after them, he told media, adding that authorities would then work with employers and embassies to get individuals documented only for the purpose of vaccination. In July, the minister in charge of religious affairs gave full licence to the religious authorities to take action against transgender people, both through arrests and religious education to return them to the right path. In August, after activist Nicole Fong responded to his statement by posting a series of infographics online critical of the official mukhayyam programwhich aims in part to influence LGBT people to renounce their non-normative gender identity or sexual orientationreligious authorities lodged a police report against her. It is vindictive.. Administration: The law allows for investigations into allegations of mistreatment; however, this provision did not always function. Some workers alleged their employers subjected them to inhuman living conditions and physically assaulted them. Religious and cultural taboos against same-sex sexual conduct were widespread (see section 2.a., Nongovernmental Impact). 13 Comments. In April a Pakistani UNHCR cardholder refugee was assaulted by a group of men in Selangor State who severed his genitals. The law prohibits employers from interfering with trade union activities, including union formation. Sarawak maintained its ban on Zakir Naik, an Islamic preacher; Mandeep Karpal Singh, formerly of the fair-election NGO coalition Bersih; sitting Bersih chair Thomas Fann; former chair Ambiga Sreenevasan; Wong Chin Huat, an academic and Bersih resource chair; Jerald Joseph, a SUHAKAM commissioner; and activists Colin Nicholas and Jannie Lasimbang, among others. No matter how small or big their problems, their troubles may feel unbearable or overwhelming. Migrants, refugees, and stateless persons receive no government support. State authorities continued to deny entry to certain national leaders to these states. Access to those in detention centers was often significantly limited. Nevertheless, four states Johor, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, and Pahang extend equal parental rights to Muslim mothers. The government, however, did not mandate accessibility to transportation for persons with disabilities, and authorities retrofitted few older public facilities to provide access for persons with disabilities. Authorities often banned street protests, and police sometimes confronted civil society and opposition demonstrations with mass arrests. The Electoral Commission has established constituencies with widely varying populations, further to the advantage of rural populations. As a result, after a deep recession in 2020, and assuming the pandemic is brought under control in Malaysia and globally, growth would rebound to 6.5 percent in 2021 as supply side . Ongoing travel restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 prevented many individuals from presenting themselves to renew their UNHCR cards, leaving them with expired documentation. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor, c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment, d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation. The Malaysian government has called for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to find effective solutions to the Rohingya crisis, declaring itself unable to take any more Rohingya refugees. Examples can include: Illiteracy. In August, the Court of Appeal partially set aside a High Court ruling that Ahmadiyya adherents were not subject to Sharia (Islamic law) in Malaysia because the Islamic authorities there do not consider them as Muslims. Among lots of social issues in Malaysia, i choose 5 social issuesthati felt is the worst in Malaysia. Exercising the right to vote is one of the social justice issues prioritized by the National Association of Social Workers. The Ministry of Home Affairs maintained a list of more than 1,700 banned publications as of November 2020. Malaysiakini reported that the practice of period spot checks dated as far back as 20 years. Share this via Printer, As More Climate Chaos Looms, Slashing Fossil Fuels Is Key. Disability-rights NGOs reported that employers were reluctant to hire persons with disabilities. Migrant workers often worked in sectors where violations were common. Media outlets reported numerous cases of alleged official corruption during the year. AFP pic Another study in Hong Kong published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health also found that 25.4 per cent of 500 survey respondents reported that their mental health had deteriorated since the pandemic began. Social problems can relate to governments, social behavior, social structure, environmental and economic problems. Supporters congregated at the police station, and civil rights organizations demanded his release; they were then also called in for questioning. Non-Muslims are not subject to sharia. However, it should be acknowledged that mental health issues do not discriminate just like adults, the young have been significantly impacted mentally and emotionally by the pandemic. The government bans membership in unregistered political parties and organizations. The law bars the production, distribution, or exhibition of films without authorization from the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia. Although China is Malaysias largest trading partner, in July 2020 Malaysia rejected in its entirety Chinas claims to rights in the South China Sea encompassed by the nine-dash line. Physical Conditions: Overcrowding in prisons and immigration detention centers, particularly in facilities near major cities, remained a serious problem. Strict rules of evidence apply in court. Malaysias efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19, while generally successful, had a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. Member of parliament Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated on July 28, the doctors were questioned from midnight till 4 a.m., this is a form of intimidation and added that the physicians lawyer had been prevented from representing his clients. Union officials expressed frustration about delays. There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. Employers, employment agents, and labor recruiters subjected some migrants to forced labor or debt bondage. Moreover, those graduates with essential skills are more preferable compared to them who does not have any skills. According to various statistics, the unemployment peak in April 2021 reached over 12.7% in the United States. For examples of social problems in Malaysia include crime, violence, gangsterism, drug abuse, baby dumping, vandalism, and young relationship among youth. In September Home Affairs Minister Hamzah Zainudin reported to parliament that as of August 25, there were 2,881 prison detainees younger than 21. CAUSES. The political environment was hostile towards women. Labor union representatives noted that recruiting agents in the countries of origin and locally sometimes imposed high fees, making migrant workers vulnerable to debt bondage. Violence and Harassment: Journalists were subjected to harassment and intimidation. Malaysia has a long history of environmental issues. Indigenous persons in peninsular Malaysia, known as Orang Asli, who number approximately 200,000, constituted the poorest group in the country and had very little ability to participate in decisions that affected them. In June the Royal Malaysian Police Sexual, Women, and Child Investigation Division reported an increase in the number of reports of child rape by older family members during the various movement control orders. Since then, authorities have opened investigations into numerous activists and opposition politicians for speech critical of the government. Employers of domestic workers sometimes failed to honor the terms of employment and subjected workers to abuse. Thank you for this excellent article. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. Although observers reported that no Department of Immigration officers were seen at vaccination centers, there were isolated reports of police roadblocks or intimidation of refugees by police on their way to vaccination centers, including an instance when police tore up an expired UNHCR card. The government focused on preventing sexual exploitation of children, including sex trafficking. At court hearings 15 to 20 migrants were often tried together, grouped by the offense with which they were charged. A social problem is a condition that at least some people in a community view as being undesirable and morally wrong. Published by Statista Research Department , Oct 5, 2022. Supermax had repaid nearly 1,750 workers by June and stated it had allocated 23 million ringgit ($5.5 million), including remediation payment to contract workers. A lawyer representing Ganapathys family said an autopsy revealed his death was due to severe injuries to his legs and shoulders. In July police opened investigations into a protest by contract doctors demanding better job security. Also in September, MACC withdrew 29 charges of corruption against Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashi, a former UMNO parliamentarian and former director of the government-linked Federal Land Development Authority. Unless trends change this year, the annual total of newborns in the world's third-largest economy is on track to hit . This returned the long-dominant UMNO to power . In June, 40 religious and educator groups jointly protested an online program, School as a Safe Place for Individuals of Various Sexual Orientations, arguing that schools must be saved from elements of pro-unnatural sex orientations and transgenderism ideology that are against religious teachings (see section 6, Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity). The divisions principal assistant director, Siti Kamsiah Hassan, told media that police received an average of 15 incest cases every month during the year. The law provides citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage. Multiple logistic regression shows that adolescents . The four largest groups in Malaysia are the ethnic Malay, Chinese Malaysians, Indian Malaysians, and Malaysians from tribal backgrounds. Despite alleged electoral irregularities and systemic disadvantages for opposition groups, Barisan Nasional lost the election to Pakatan Harapan, the first transfer of power between coalitions since independence in 1957. Refugees did not have access to the public education system. In February, Court of Appeal President Rohana Yusuf found independent online news portal Malaysiakini guilty of contempt for user comments posted to an article the portal published in June 2020; chief editor Steven Gan was acquitted. The law requires internet and other network service providers to obtain a license and permits punishment of the owner of a website or blog for allowing offensive racial, religious, or political content. Employers may immediately deport pregnant or ill workers. Depression. Independent Monitoring: Authorities generally did not permit NGOs and media to monitor prison conditions; the law allows judges to visit prisons to examine conditions and ask prisoners and prison officials about conditions. The government monitored the internet and threatened to detain anyone sending or posting content the government deemed a threat to public order or security (see section 2.a.). Preventing violence. The investigation remained open at time of writing. Further custodial deaths were recorded but no one was held to account. The NGO EDICT called for an inquiry, adding that for police to abuse tactics to force suspects to confess is inappropriate. In September, Home Affairs Minister Hamzah announced police had started an inquest into the death. Homelessness is a symptom of an array of social issues. Journalist Tashny Sukumaran was questioned over her report on a round-up of migrant workers, and in June, police opened an investigation of Boo Su-Lyn, editor of the health news portal CodeBlue, under the Official Official Secrets Act and the penal code for a series of articles about the findings of an independent investigation into an October 2016 hospital fire that killed six patients. In August that coalition lost its majority in the lower house of parliament, resulting in a transfer of power to a Barisan Nasional-led coalition headed by the new prime minister, Ismail Sabri. Attacks on female politicians and women who were critical of the countrys politics were common, including sexist remarks in parliament against female members, threats of rape and murder via Facebook and other social media platforms, and stereotyping female political candidates. In October the government revived a 2018 criminal defamation suit against British journalist Claire Rewcastle-Brown for her reporting on the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad financial scandal that led to the conviction of former prime minister Najib in 2020 on corruption charges and occasioned his continued prosecution on other corruption and abuse of power charges during the year. The organizers had held two street protests in July, demanding the prime ministers resignation, the reopening of parliament, and an automatic loan repayment moratorium for all. On 20 February 2021, Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin announced that school pupils will be returning to school in stages between 1 March and 4 April. Censorship or Content Restrictions: The government maintained the ability to censor media. They subsequently charged her with defamation of Islam, punishable by a fine, up to three years imprisonment, or both, and released her on bail. For examples of social problems in Malaysia include crime, violence, gangsterism, drug abuse, baby dumping, vandalism, and young relationship among youth. The law prohibits general strikes, and trade unions may not strike over disputes related to trade-union registration or illegal dismissals. 5 Social Issues In Malaysia. No laws provided for the protection of members of racial or ethnic minorities or groups against violence and discrimination. Private-sector strikes were severely restricted. The director general of trade unions and the minister of human resources may refuse to register or withdraw registration from some unions without judicial oversight. With their shared culture, religion and a very similar language, Indonesia was the single biggest contributor of immigrants to Malaysia. The aims of this . If the prosecutor agrees sufficient evidence exists to justify continued detention and further investigation, a fact-finding inquiry officer appointed by the minister of home affairs must report within 59 days to a detention board appointed by the king. Some politicians and human rights activists claimed the government used the loyalty pledge to restrain political activity among these groups. In September, however, Hamzah informed parliament the government would require healthcare workers to notify security forces if undocumented migrants appeared at health facilities and vaccine centers. Pretrial Detention: The International Center for Prison Studies reported that pretrial detainees comprised approximately 27 percent of the prison population in 2018. The law does not prohibit discrimination with respect to race, religion, national origin, color, sex, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, HIV or AIDS status, or refugee status in employment and hiring; the director general of labor may investigate discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment for both foreign and local employees. The Department of Labor of the Ministry of Human Resources enforces wage, working condition, and occupational safety and health standards. MACC noted that all transactions associated with the 29 charges against Noor Ehsanuddin were advances that had been fully repaid. Bail is usually available for persons accused of crimes not punishable by life imprisonment or death. In September religious authorities in Kelantan State posted fliers in public places such as shopping malls and grocery stores warning the community about LGBTQI+ persons and the need to be vigilant against their influence. Freedom of the press has also come under attack. Defendants may appeal court decisions to higher courts, but only if the appeal raises a question of law or if material circumstances raise a reasonable doubt regarding conviction or sentencing. Eventually, they asked for money, which I had no choice but to oblige.. State religious authorities reportedly forced LGBTQI+ persons to participate in conversion therapy, treatment, or rehabilitation programs to cure them of their sexuality. The government may revoke registrations for violations of the law governing societies. In September, Home Affairs Minister Hamzah Zainudin told parliament that since January, 42 individuals had died while in custody, 14 in prison or police custody and 28 in immigration detention centers. There is a special court for sexual crimes against children, established to speed up trials that often took years to conclude. Malaysia's total population was 32.98 million in January 2022.. Data show that Malaysia's population increased by 408 thousand (+1.3 percent) between 2021 and 2022.. 48.6 percent of Malaysia's population is female, while 51.4 percent of the population is male.. At the start of 2022, 78.2 percent of Malaysia's population lived in urban centres, while 21. . Authorities arrested Yusrazif as part of a special operation conducted by MACC and the Immigration Department since 2020 at the countrys entry and exit points that saw the arrest of 65 individuals, including 39 immigration officers, 17 agents, and nine civilians. The law states that sodomy and oral sex acts are carnal intercourse against the order of nature. In February the Federal Court nullified a Selangor State law on same-sex sexual conduct. In August 2020, the Federal Court upheld the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty. Authorities deported some of these parents, leaving their children without guardians. In May 2021, speed-testing company Ookla measured Malaysia's mobile internet download speed at 54.54 Mbps and fixed-line broadband at 105.14 Mbps.