[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (Suhakam) menzahirkan kebimbangan serius terhadap kesan berganda cabaran ekonomi semasa ke atas golongan rentan, khususnya wanita, kanak-kanak, dan komuniti berpendapatan rendah, termasuk individu tanpa dokumen, tanpa kerakyatan, serta pelarian, susulan laporan terkini mengenai cadangan pengurangan perbelanjaan awam bagi sektor-sektor kritikal.
Perkembangan mutakhir menunjukkan bahawa Perbendaharaan Malaysia telah mencadangkan pengurangan bajet sebanyak RM5.4bn yang melibatkan Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM) dan pendidikan tinggi.
Cadangan pengurangan kepada KKM amat membimbangkan memandangkan ia berlaku ketika permintaan terhadap perkhidmatan kesihatan awam, sokongan pemakanan, dan perkhidmatan sosial asas semakin meningkat, khususnya dalam kalangan mereka yang paling terkesan akibat peningkatan kos sara hidup.
Suhakam menegaskan bahawa penguncupan fiskal dalam sektor kesihatan semasa tempoh tekanan ekonomi adalah amat membimbangkan. Bukti di peringkat global menunjukkan bahawa sistem kesihatan sering menjadi antara sektor yang paling terjejas ketika krisis, dengan implikasi jangka panjang terhadap hasil kesihatan awam.
Di Malaysia, pengurangan sedemikian berisiko memburukkan lagi jurang sedia ada dari segi akses, kualiti dan kesaksamaan dalam perkhidmatan kesihatan.
Suhakam turut bimbang bahawa pengurangan tersebut, sekiranya dilaksanakan tanpa perlindungan yang mencukupi, berisiko menjejaskan akses kepada perkhidmatan asas yang kritikal bagi perlindungan hak asasi manusia, khususnya dalam bidang kesihatan wanita, perkembangan kanak-kanak, serta kesejahteraan golongan rentan dan terpinggir lain termasuk warga emas, orang kurang upaya, dan isi rumah berpendapatan rendah.
Kesukaran ekonomi memberi tekanan tambahan kepada isi rumah dan boleh membawa kepada kesan kesihatan yang negatif, termasuk pengurangan akses kepada makanan berkhasiat, kelewatan mendapatkan rawatan, serta kemerosotan kesihatan fizikal dan mental.
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Suhakam seterusnya menegaskan bahawa langkah sedemikian boleh dianggap sebagai satu kemunduran dalam merealisasikan hak ekonomi, sosial dan budaya.
Malaysia telah secara sukarela komited kepada Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan 3 (SDG 3): Kesihatan Baik dan Kesejahteraan, yang bertujuan memastikan kehidupan sihat dan menggalakkan kesejahteraan untuk semua pada semua peringkat umur. Secara khusus, Sasaran 3(c) menyeru peningkatan pembiayaan kesihatan serta pengukuhan kapasiti tenaga kerja kesihatan.
Suhakam mengambil maklum bahawa kedua-dua Kementerian Kewangan dan Kementerian Ekonomi telah mengenal pasti SDG 3 sebagai keutamaan nasional berikutan impak sosialnya yang besar.
Komitmen ini mesti dipertahan dan dilaksanakan secara bermakna. Kerajaan tidak boleh mengambil langkah ke belakang dalam hak awam terhadap kesihatan, iaitu hak asasi manusia teras dalam kategori ekonomi, sosial dan budaya.
Hak kepada kesihatan juga merupakan hak perlembagaan yang dilindungi oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Sebarang langkah konsolidasi fiskal mesti ditentu ukur dengan teliti agar tidak menjejaskan akses saksama kepada perkhidmatan kesihatan dan sistem sokongan asas.
Suhakam mengulangi bahawa hak kepada kesihatan, makanan mencukupi, dan kesejahteraan adalah hak asasi manusia yang paling asas, yang dilindungi oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan, serta diperakui dalam obligasi antarabangsa termasuk Konvensyen Penghapusan Segala Bentuk Diskriminasi terhadap Wanita (Cedaw) dan Konvensyen Mengenai Hak Kanak-Kanak (CRC).
Sehubungan itu, Suhakam menggesa kerajaan untuk:
- Memastikan sebarang langkah konsolidasi fiskal tidak memberi kesan tidak seimbang kepada golongan rentan, khususnya warga emas, wanita, kanak-kanak dan kumpulan berpendapatan rendah
- Melindungi dan, jika perlu, meningkatkan peruntukan bagi perkhidmatan kesihatan asas selaras dengan komitmen SDG, termasuk kesihatan ibu dan reproduktif, pemakanan kanak-kanak, serta sokongan kesihatan mental
- Memperkukuh sistem kesihatan dan sokongan sosial berasaskan komuniti, khususnya bagi populasi yang kurang mendapat perkhidmatan dan berisiko
- Memperluas bantuan sosial bersasar, termasuk sokongan makanan dan pemakanan kepada keluarga berpendapatan rendah
- Mengguna pakai pendekatan berasaskan hak asasi manusia dalam penggubalan bajet, dengan memastikan ketelusan, penyertaan dan kebertanggungjawaban dalam proses membuat keputusan fiskal
Suhakam menegaskan bahawa respons dasar terhadap tekanan ekonomi tidak boleh mengorbankan golongan paling rentan. Komitmen terhadap pembangunan mampan dan hak asasi manusia harus disertai dengan pilihan dasar yang konkrit. Malaysia bukan sahaja perlu mengutamakan SDG 3 dari segi prinsip, tetapi juga menterjemahkan keutamaan ini dalam amalan.
Suhakam kekal komited untuk bekerjasama dengan semua pihak berkepentingan bagi memastikan agar dasar pembangunan Malaysia membela maruah insan tanpa meminggirkan sesiapa. – Suhakam
English version
Suhakam urges rights-based response amid economic pressures
The Malaysian human rights commission, Suhakam, expresses deep concern over the compounding impact of current economic challenges on vulnerable groups, particularly women, children and low-income communities, including undocumented, stateless persons, and refugees in light of recent reports indicating proposed reductions in public expenditure for critical sectors.
Recent developments indicate that the Treasury has proposed RM5.4bn in budget cuts affecting the health and higher education ministries. The proposed reductions to the Ministry of Health is, of course, most worrying, as it comes at a time when demand for public healthcare, nutrition support and essential social services is increasing, particularly among those most affected by the rising cost of living.
Suhakam stresses that fiscal retrenchment in healthcare during periods of economic pressure is particularly concerning. Evidence globally shows that healthcare systems are often among the hardest hit during crises, with long-term consequences for public health outcomes.
In Malaysia, such reductions risk further exacerbating existing gaps in access, quality and equity in healthcare services
Suhakam is concerned that such reductions, if implemented without adequate safeguards, risk undermining access to essential services that are critical to the protection of human rights, particularly in women’s health, child development and the wellbeing of other vulnerable and marginalised groups, including older people, people with disabilities, and low-income households.
Economic hardship places added strain on households and may lead to adverse health outcomes, including reduced access to nutritious food, delayed healthcare seeking, and worsening physical and mental health conditions.
Suhakam further emphasises that such measures may constitute a regressive step in the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights.
Malaysia has voluntarily committed to sustainable development goal 3 on good health and wellbeing, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. In particular, target 3(c) calls for increased health financing and strengthened health workforce capacity.
Suhakam notes that both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Economy have identified goal 3 as a national priority due to its significant social impact. These commitments must be meaningfully upheld.
The government must not regress on the public right to health, a core economic, social and cultural human right. The public right to health is also a constitutional right protected by the Federal Constitution. Any fiscal consolidation measures must be carefully calibrated to avoid undermining equitable access to healthcare and essential support systems.
Suhakam reiterates that the right to health, adequate food and wellbeing are fundamental human rights, protected by the Federal Constitution, as well as reflected in international obligations including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In this regard, Suhakam calls on the government to:
- Ensure that any fiscal consolidation measures do not disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, particularly older people, women, children and low-income groups
- Safeguard and, where necessary, increase allocations for essential health services, in line with sustainable development goal commitments, including maternal and reproductive health, child nutrition and mental health support
- Strengthen community-based health and social support systems, particularly for underserved and at-risk populations
- Expand targeted social assistance, including food and nutrition support for low-income families
- Adopt a human rights-based approach to budgeting, ensuring transparency, participation and accountability in fiscal decision-making.
Suhakam stresses that policy responses to economic pressures must not come at the expense of the most vulnerable. Commitments to sustainable development and human rights must be matched by concrete policy choices. Malaysia must not only prioritise goal 3 in principle but also reflect this priority in practice.
The commission remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that Malaysia’s development policies uphold human dignity and leave no one behind. – Suhakam, 1 May
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