Photo credit: Soka Gakkai Malaysia
On 24 June 2023, Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) organized an online legal forum titled “My Rights: What to Do if One Is Arrested.” Some 450 people joined the forum, which was moderated by Isabel Mak, Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court in Malaya.
Speaker Jason Kong, Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court in Malaya, spoke on five rights of a person who has been arrested: the right to be informed of the grounds of arrest, the right to inform a relative or friend of their whereabouts, the right to communicate with and consult a legal practitioner of their choice, the right to remain silent and the right to be brought before a magistrate without unreasonable delay.
Additionally, Kong covered several other topics, including types of arrests, remand orders, periods of detention and types of bail. As a member of the National Legal Aid Foundation, he also explained the role the foundation plays in providing free legal assistance.
Speaker Mak Kah Keong, also an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court in Malaya, spoke on common offenses, such as drunk driving, financial scams involving bank accounts, illegal gambling and drug abuse.
The forum concluded with a question and answer session.
Human rights can only be achieved through an informed and continued demand by people for their protection.
SGM has previously held legal forums on topics such as writing a will, traffic accidents and dismissal rights in Malaysia.
Legal rights are included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. As the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights states, “Human rights can only be achieved through an informed and continued demand by people for their protection. Human rights education promotes values, beliefs and attitudes that encourage all individuals to uphold their own rights and those of others. It develops an understanding of everyone’s common responsibility to make human rights a reality in each community.”
