SUARAM

SUARAM, or Suara Rakyat Malaysia, (Malay for "Voice of the Malaysian People") is a human rights organization in Malaysia created in 1987 after Operation Lalang, when 106 opposition, unions, activist leaders were detained without trial under the Internal Security Act. In 1989, the detainee support group, ISA detainees and other activist groups decided to form SUARAM, whose primary object was to campaign for the abolition of the ISA and detention without trial. SUARAM later evolved into other areas of human rights and environmental rights.

Suaram is considered one of the leading human rights organisations in Malaysia. Other general human rights organisations in Malaysia include the Penang based Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN), HAKAM (National Human Rights Society) and many others. Suaram has often worked with these organisations on a minimal platform of co-operation on issues such as the abolishment of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and electoral reform. The secretariat in KL also publishes an annual report on the status of civil and political rights in Malaysia since 1998.

Suaram is a founding member of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA).