Kenyataan media Kumpulan Kerja Hak Asasi Manusia BERSAMA bertarikh 23 September 2026. Teks asal bahasa Inggeris daripada dokumen dua halaman disiarkan di bawah; tajuk dan ringkasan dalam Bahasa Melayu disediakan oleh Ayuh Malaysia.
Ringkasan
Kumpulan Kerja Hak Asasi Manusia BERSAMA mengecam penahanan Amir Hadi dan Dobby Chew serta menuntut pendedahan alasan penahanan, pembebasan segera sementara bukti dikemukakan, dan jaminan proses undang-undang yang sewajarnya.
Perkara Utama
- BERSAMA menuntut pendedahan segera alasan khusus penahanan, dakwaan kesalahan dan bukti yang digunakan.
- BERSAMA menyeru pembebasan kedua-dua individu sementara menunggu bukti konkrit yang boleh disahkan.
- BERSAMA menuntut jaminan proses undang-undang yang sewajarnya, termasuk akses kepada peguam, keluarga dan rawatan perubatan bebas jika diperlukan.
- BERSAMA menggesa penghentian penggunaan undang-undang kewangan dan keselamatan sebagai alat gangguan politik terhadap pembela hak asasi manusia serta masyarakat sivil.
Kenyataan
BERSAMA Condemns the Arrest of Amir Hadi and Dobby Chew, Demands Immediate Disclosure of Grounds for Arrest
The Working Group on Human Rights of BERSAMA condemns the arrests of Amir Hadi, the Executive Director and Dobby Chew the Finance Director of the NGO Mandiri, under Section 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA).
The use of AMLA, an instrument designed to combat financial crime and terrorism financing, is now used to target individuals whose only crime is advocating for transparency, accountability, and human rights. Such action taken by the Madani Government risks setting a dangerous precedent to restrict civic space and suppress legitimate advocacy.
AMLA is not a tool to be weaponised against civil society. Its usage here without public disclosure of evidence or grounds, is an abuse of power dressed up as law enforcement.
Amir Hadi and Dobby Chew are respected figures within Malaysia's civil society community, known for their consistent, principled work holding power to account. Their arrests which were carried out without transparency and without justification sends a very negative chilling message, that dissent and democratic advocacy work will not be tolerated by the Madani Government.
BERSAMA is deeply troubled by the timing, manner, and legal basis of their arrests, and calls on the relevant authorities to act with full transparency and accountability in this matter.
BERSAMA demands that the Madani Government:
1. Immediately publicly disclose the specific grounds for the arrest of Amir Hadi and Dobby Chew under Section 4 of AMLA, including the nature of the alleged offence and the evidence relied upon;
2. Release both individuals immediately pending the production of concrete, verifiable evidence substantiating the allegations against them;
3. Ensure full due process is accorded to both individuals, including unimpeded access to legal counsel, family, and independent medical attention where required; and
4. Immediately cease the use of anti-money laundering and other security legislation as instruments of political harassment against human rights defenders and civil society actors.
BERSAMA reminds the Madani Government that the arbitrary or opaque use of security and financial legislation against activists undermines Malaysia's democratic institutions and its international human rights commitments. The rule of law demands that any deprivation of liberty be grounded in clear, lawful, and publicly justifiable reasons, and not used as a mechanism of convenience to circumvent due process protections.
BERSAMA calls on fellow civil society organisations, parliamentarians, and the Malaysian public to stand firm and demand full accountability from the Madani Government.
23 September 2026
On behalf of the Working Group on Human Rights BERSAMA
WONG CHEN, Head of the Working Group on Human Rights NG YAP HWA FAIZAL RAHMAN LAU YI LEONG SEAH JHEN PEI RABIATUL ADAWIYAH SULAIMAN WONG IVAN
