Malaysia legislation
Section 4
Section 4
(a)
to promote awareness of and provide education in relation to human rights;
(b)
to advise and assist the Government in formulating legislation and administrative directives and procedures and recommend the necessary measures to be taken;
(c)
to recommend to the Government with regard to the subscription or accession of treaties and other international instruments in the field of human rights; and
(d)
to inquire into complaints regarding infringements of human rights referred to in section 12.
(2)
For the purpose of discharging its functions, the Commission may exercise any or all of the following powers:
(a)
to promote awareness of human rights and to undertake research by conducting programmes, seminars and workshops and to disseminate and distribute the results of such research;
(b)
to advise the Government and/or the relevant authorities of complaints against such authorities and recommend to the Government and/or such authorities appropriate measures to be taken;
(c)
to study and verify any infringement of human rights in accordance with the provisions of this Act;
(d)
to visit places of detention in accordance with procedures as prescribed by the laws relating to places of detention and to make necessary recommendations;
8 Laws of Malaysia ACT 597
(e)
to issue public statements on human rights as and when necessary; and
(f)
to undertake any other appropriate activities as are necessary in accordance with the written laws in force, if any, in relation to such activities.
(3)
The visit by the Commission to any place of detention under paragraph 2(d) shall not be refused by the person in charge of such place of detention if the procedures provided in the laws regulating such places of detention are complied with.
(4)
For the purpose of this Act, regard shall be had to the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 to the extent that it is not inconsistent with the Federal Constitution.
Members of the Commission and term of office