Contributed by Usha Kulasegaran, Co-Deputy Chairperson, Bar Council Human Rights Committee; Head, Human Rights Committee-International Criminal Court (“HRC-ICC”) Working Group; photos by HRC-ICC
This Humanitarian Aid Project Report was compiled by five members of the Bar Council Human Rights Committee–International Criminal Court (“HRC-ICC”) Working Group as well as its partner NGOs, all of whom were involved in this humanitarian mission. Besides Usha Kulasegaran, Head of HRC-ICC Working Group (“Working Group”) and Co-Deputy Chairperson of HRC, this humanitarian mission was spearheaded by four other members of the Working Group — Azril Mohd Amin, Telagapathi Marimuthu, Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna and Mahaletchumy Ramakrishnan. The Working Group collaborated with its partner NGOs: Ahmad Fahmi Samsudin, CEO of Global Peace Mission (“GPM” Malaysia); Lilianne Fan, Chair of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network’s (“APRRN”) Rohingya Working Group; and Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz, President of the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (“ABIM”), to provide humanitarian aid such as food and essentials to vulnerable groups.
During the Movement Control Order (“MCO”) implemented for three months — mid-March to mid-June — as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the four members of the Working Group remained very active. It was at the start of the MCO that this Working Group launched “Project Mission Humanitarian”, with the prime goal of assisting extensively in the provision and distribution of humanitarian food aid and essentials to vulnerable local communities, such as the B40 group, the poor, homeless, and elderly; as well as to migrants, refugees and victims of armed conflicts who fled war and persecution in their countries of origin, such as the Rohingya, Palestinians, Syrians and Yemenis, and sought refuge here.
The Working Group worked closely with several parties, including its partner NGOs, and also collaborated with YB Maria Chin, Member of Parliament (“MP”) for Petaling Jaya and YB Kasthuri Patto, MP for Batu Kawan, Penang, on coordinating and providing logistical assistance in distributing aid.
We express our gratitude to all the parties who assisted, collaborated and cooperated with the Working Group in channelling aid to the right persons.