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. . Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups: No laws limit participation by women or members of minority groups or of historically marginalized groups in the political process, and they did participate. This ambiguity over the communitys status in the constitution led to selective interpretation by different public institutions. NGOs and international organizations involved with these populations made credible allegations of overcrowding, inadequate food and clothing, lack of regular access to clean water, poor medical care, improper sanitation, and lack of bedding in the immigration detention centers. Some NGOs asserted that a police approach of arrest first, investigate later was prevalent, particularly in cases involving allegations of terrorism. Workers who strike without the consent of the director general of trade unions are liable to a fine of 2,000 ringgit ($480), imprisonment for up to one year, or both. Aug 5th 2021. During investigations police may hold a suspect for 24 hours, which may be extended for a maximum of 14 days by court order under general criminal law provisions. Part of a mini series of Focus books on COVID-19 in Malaysia, the chapters in this book address the pandemic's impacts on education and literacy. Although the law does not require groups to obtain a permit for assemblies, police frequently placed time, location, and other restrictions on the right to assemble. The verdict ruled on an appeal of a Selangor State sharia courts 2019 conviction of a man for intercourse against the order of nature. The Federal Court found that existing federal legislation outlawing the same conduct for the same reason preempted the state law, meaning it was unconstitutional and hence the case should not have been brought nor ruled on by the sharia court. 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. terrific article. Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. Malaysia: Freedom on the Net 2021 Country Report | Freedom House Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia - Wikipedia In October, according to media reports, a senior politician from the Bersatu party, Borhanuddin Che Rahim, used an ethnic slur to describe an ethnic Indian member of the national badminton team. While recent data was very limited, a 2012 study by a professor at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Malaya, found that more than 93 percent of approximately 1,000 Muslim women surveyed in three of the countrys 13 states had undergone the procedure. The government regards those who post content as publishers, thereby placing the burden of proof on the poster. They were released on bail but ordered to report to the nearest District Islamic Religious Department and barred from uploading on social media. Malaysia's RHB Investment Bank noted in a report this month that serious weaknesses to the economy due to concerns that sluggish expansion in the construction and retail sectors, coupled with . 03 / Select Countries You can add more than one country or area. Such groups also sometimes attempted to intimidate opposition groups through demonstrations. Government-run family planning clinics often would not provide contraceptive services to unmarried young persons. Each year, millions of people have to escape from their home countries because of wars, conflicts, persecution, or climate change (UNHCR, 2022). Defendants may present witnesses and evidence on their behalf. Male children between ages 10 and 18 may receive a maximum of 10 strokes of a light cane in a public courtroom. A 2018 survey by a local transgender rights group reported more than two-thirds of transgender women experienced some form of physical or emotional abuse. Notes. Reproductive awareness advocates and NGOs that provided sexual health education were frequently accused of encouraging sin and eliciting sexual behaviors. The government did not effectively enforce the law. UNHCR declared that the deportees included at least six individuals registered with the agency. In 2020 the NGO Womens Aid Organization reported that 9 percent of women who had ever been in a relationship experienced domestic violence and such violence was symptomatic of a deeper problem: gender inequality. A November report by the organization found that 53 percent of respondents believed domestic violence was a normal reaction to stress or frustration, and 43 percent believed a woman could so anger a man that he hit her without meaning to, suggesting a culture deeming such violence acceptable when perceived as an emotional gesture, or in the event the victim has behaved in a way that triggers the abuse. In Penang State, police as of July recorded a 35 percent increase in domestic-violence cases compared to 2020. Americans' views of the problems facing the nation. What is the example of reference variable? Political Parties and Political Participation: Many opposition candidates were unable to compete on equal terms with the then ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and were subject to restrictions and outside interference during the 2018 election campaign. In June then deputy religious affairs minister Ahmad Marzuk Shaary proposed that social media postings that promote LGBTQ lifestyles and insult Islam be punishable offenses under sharia. On July 13, the Federal Court announced that it would be taking time to deliberate before issuing a decision. Penalties for employers who fail to follow the law begin with a fine assessed per employee and may rise to imprisonment. They performed hazardous duties and had no meaningful access to legal counsel in cases of contract violations and abuse. 10 Examples of Social Issues in the US | Human Rights Careers Top social issues people in Singapore cared about in 2021 05:27 AM (GMT) Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to resign on Monday after a tumultuous 17 months in power marked by his government's poor response to . According to MACC, authorities arrested 337 public officials for corruption and bribery from January to August. Employers routinely asked women their marital status during job interviews. Malaysia's Ministry of Health (KKM) reported that one in three of the country's adults are at risk of developing mental health condition for the last 5 years. This makes up 51% of the 1,708 . According to Abdul Rahman Hamid (2015), drug abuse issues in Malaysia is still trouble matter even though it is . Social Issues in India - An Overview - BYJUS Crowded and understaffed courts often resulted in lengthy pretrial detention, sometimes lasting several years. Freedom of association and collective bargaining were not fully respected. 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Malaysia, An official website of the United States Government, https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html, https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods. For refugees in Muslim marriages, the observers claimed authorities often accepted a UNHCR document or other documentation in lieu of a passport as proof of citizenship. 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. In May MACC arrested member of parliament Tajuddin Abdul Rahman on two charges of abuse of power for interfering with the operations and business dealings of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, a government-owned public transport company under the Ministry of Finance. Ordinary Malaysians suffer from the machinations of their politicians. Kossan completed repaying more than 5,500 workers a total 54 million ringgit ($13 million) with a final transfer of 24 million ringgit ($5.8 million) at the end of June. 5 Social Issues In Malaysia. More than 60 offenses are subject to caning, sometimes in conjunction with imprisonment, and judges routinely mandated caning as punishment for crimes, including kidnapping, rape, and robbery, and nonviolent offenses, such as narcotics possession, criminal breach of trust, migrant smuggling, immigration offenses, and others. The 'new normal' comes with its fair share of added stresses and worries for everyone to handle. Rape is punishable by a maximum 20 years imprisonment and caning. Police must inform detainees of their rights to contact family members and consult a lawyer of their choice. However, drug abuse among the youth in Malaysia is becoming a grave concern. Employment discrimination occurred against persons with disabilities (see section 7.d.). The incompatibility in the focus of higher education institution and the needs of labour market. Employers may be required to pay back wages plus the fine. Malaysia has since experienced other economic fallouts, such as the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, but its effects were comparatively small, with only a drop of 1.5 per cent in GDP. 6 Major Social Issues in India: Causes and Measures The trial of former deputy prime minister Zahid Hamidi for his role in a fraudulent scheme involving hundreds of thousands of Nepali workers seeking jobs in the country continued as of September. National-level unions are prohibited; the government allows three regional territorial federations of unions for peninsular Malaysia, and for the states of Sabah and Sarawak to operate. Zahid faced charges filed in 2018 of corruption, money laundering, and taking bribes totaling three million ringgit ($720,000) from a company that ran a visa center for the workers, who paid tenfold higher costs for visa services and medical tests over a five-year period without receiving additional protections or benefits. The last two years saw a series of continuous and rapid political developments, starting with the change in federal government in early 2020, alongside shifts in many state governments, and ending most recently with yet another government change in August 2021. The Barisan Nasional (BN) political coalition ruled Malaysia from independence in 1957 until 2018, maintaining power by manipulating electoral districts, appealing to ethnic nationalism, and suppressing criticism through restrictive speech laws and politicized prosecutions of opposition leaders. In February the government introduced the Workers Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act as an emergency ordinance during the state of emergency compelling employers and centralized accommodation providers to provide lodging with sufficient living space and amenities for migrant workers to effectively control the spread of COVID-19. . International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation - IJPR, is an editorial & peer-reviewed journal publication for mental health care providers, practitioners, nurses, consumers, and applied researchers, bearing ISSN: 1475-7192. 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. Malaysia raises mental health and social well-being concerns amidst A March 2021 ASEAN Today article revealed that Malaysia is experiencing an increase in mental health problems, which the existence of COVID-19 may be exacerbating. The law permits police to arrest and detain individuals for some offenses without a warrant, even outside situations of a crime in progress or other urgent circumstances. By April, Top Glove had reimbursed 150 million ringgit ($36 million) to approximately 13,000 existing and eligible former workers. Several UN experts expressed concern that the crackdown was severely undermining efforts to fight the pandemic and immigration detention centers subsequently reported an increase in confirmed cases of Covid-19. In May 1998, the ringgit's exchange rate fell to a low 4.90 against the US dollar.