Civil society in solidarity with Malaysia’s SUHAKAM  amidst condemnation from the Myanmar junta-led MNHRC

[30 January 2026] The CSO Working Group on Independent National Human Rights Institutions (Burma/Myanmar) (Working Group) and the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) commend the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) for raising concerns over the integrity of the junta-led elections in Myanmar.

We echo SUHAKAM’s calls for upholding democratic values, fair and free elections, and the rule of law across the region.

On 22 December 2025, SUHAKAM expressed serious concerns over the junta-led sham elections in Myanmar, which took place from 28 December 2025 to 25  January 2026.

We extend our full support and solidarity to SUHAKAM’s statement, which reflects a clear and principled commitment to international human rights standards and recognizes the grave reality that conditions in Myanmar do not permit the conduct of a genuine, inclusive, or credible democratic process.

SUHAKAM’s commitment to democratic values, including its strong stance in advising the Malaysian Government to disengage from the junta’s sham elections, is crucial given its role as the convening Chair of the Southeast Asia National Human Rights Forum (SEANF) in 2026.

MNHRC’s retaliatory response

On 15 January 2026, the military junta-controlled Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) issued a retaliatory statement against SUHAKAM. The statement merely protects the military junta and its agenda for a sham election.

The MNHRC has consistently aided and abetted the Myanmar military and acted as an accessory to the junta’s crimes.

Such a response further underscores the MNHRC’s fundamental lack of independence, credibility, and willingness to engage in good faith with regional human rights mechanisms. Rather than addressing SUHAKAM’s concerns, the MNHRC has sought to deflect criticism and undermine legitimate scrutiny, in clear contradiction of the Paris Principles governing National Human Rights Institutions.

MNHRC’s lack of independence from the military junta has led to its discreditation and expulsion from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in March 2025, followed by its expulsion from the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) in May 2025.

Efforts are currently underway to advocate for the removal of MNHRC from SEANF, alongside strong calls for SEANF members to disengage from the discredited institution.

SUHAKAM’s leadership of SEANF

We reiterate our solidarity and support for SUHAKAM as it serves as the new SEANF  Chair in 2026. We are confident that SUHAKAM’s leadership will strengthen the integrity of SEANF and reaffirm its commitment to democratic norms, human rights protection, and the independence of national human rights institutions in Southeast Asia.

Khin Ohmar, Chairperson of Progressive Voice, member of the Working Group, said: “We hope to see the removal of the junta-controlled MNHRC from SEANF during the leadership of SUHAKAM. All other SEANF’s members – all of whom hold ‘A’ status – have the responsibility to not only protect, but also strengthen the Forum’s institutional integrity and credibility. Removing the junta-controlled MNHRC is the principled and necessary next step for SEANF. It is also imperative that SEANF also shows its acknowledgement on the principled action taken by GANHRI and APF as they removed MNHRC from their NHRI networks.”

Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA, which serves as the Secretariat of ANNI, said: “We urge all SEANF members to continue and intensify efforts to review, remove, and disengage from MNHRC. Continued engagement with MNHRC without accountability erodes the credibility of SEANF and undermines regional human rights cooperation.”

Bo Bo, Executive Director of Generation Wave, member of the Working Group, said:  “The military will try every means to gain international legitimacy after the sham election. It is certain that they will continue to drag the puppet MNHRC along to seek legitimacy and recognition from the international community. Following our consistent advocacy efforts, MNHRC has been removed from GANHRI and APF. We will continue to advocate for the SEANF to remove the junta-controlled MNHRC from its network as soon as possible. We believe SUHAKAM will do its best within the capacity as the Chair of the SEANF, together with other SEANF members, to remove junta-controlled MNHRC from the SEANF without further delay.”

The Working Group and ANNI stand ready to support SUHAKAM, together with like-minded institutions and civil society partners, in advancing a principled, people-centred human rights agenda for Southeast Asia.

For more information, please contact:

• The CSO Working Group on Independent National Human Rights Institution (Burma/Myanmar); WG_NHRI@protonmail.com
• ANNI Secretariat, FORUM-ASIA; anni@forum-asia.org

 

About the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI)

The Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) was established in December 2006. It is a network of Asian non-governmental organisations and human rights defenders working on issues related to National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs). ANNI currently has 33 member organisations from 21 countries or territories. ANNI members work on strengthening the work and functioning of Asian NHRIs to better promote and protect human rights as well as to advocate for the improved compliance of Asian NHRIs with international standards, including the Paris Principles and General Observations of the Sub- Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of NHRIs (GANHRI). The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) has served as the Secretariat of ANNI since its establishment in 2006.

More information at http://l.forum-asia.org/ANNI

About the CSO Working Group on Independent National Human Rights Institution (Burma/Myanmar) The CSO Working Group on Independent National Human Rights Institution (Burma/Myanmar) advocates for the establishment of a new NHRI—tentatively named the Union Human Rights Commission—to replace the illegitimate MNHRC which has aligned itself with the illegal military junta. The Working Group was previously known as the ‘CSO Working Group on MNHRC Reform.’ Currently, it consists of 20 Myanmar civil society organizations. From its founding in 2019 until the attempted coup in February 2021, the Working Group consistently advocated for an effective MNHRC that demonstrated a commitment to the international standards set forth in the Paris Principles.

More information at https://www.facebook.com/WGonNHRIBurma

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