Madeline Berma new Suhakam commissioner

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Assoc Prof Dr Madeline Berma

KUCHING: Assoc Prof Dr Madeline Berma has been appointed Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) Sarawak commissioner.

Madeline has done extensive research, delivered papers and published books on economic development, focusing on rural development, poverty, indigenous communities and women.

She was a member of research teams conducting policy-impact studies on poverty in Sarawak, urban poverty in four major towns in Sarawak, policies on women in Johor, Dayak education, socialisation in Sarawak, women labour force needs for Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), Sabah women’s development plan, Orang Asli development in Tasik Chini and education policy review.

She had been involved in consultancy jobs for the federal and state governments.

Madeline is currently Fellow of Akademi Sains Malaysia. She served as Deputy Chair, Education Policy Review (Oct 2018-May 2019).

She was an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics and Management, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) until she retired in 2018.

She also served as the director of the Tun Fatimah Hashim Women’s Leadership Centre, UKM from 2011-2016. Madeline was a member of the Malaysian government’s delegation to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (2015-2017), and Women and Economy Forum (2012) in Russia.

She also worked extensively with government agencies and NGOs, particularly on economic empowerment programmes.

She had been a panellist on TV/radio (RTM, TV3, Astro Awani, NTV9, Bernama) panel discussions on economic and social issues.

The federal government has appointed Madeline to seven national-level consultative committees – the National Unity and Consultative Committee (NUCC); Women’s Advisory and Consultative Council; Consultative Committee on Political Funding; Committee to Promote Inter-Religious Harmony and Understanding; Public Complaints Bureau; National Heritage Council; and Committee on Education Policy Review.

Madeline received her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Hull, England; Masters of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Bachelor of Economics from UKM.

Madeline was among the list of names announced by Suhakam its press statement issued in Putrajaya as
Suhakam members for the term 2019-2022.

According to the June 26 press statement, Suhakam welcomed Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad’s announcement on the appointment of the new Commission members.

“These appointments have been made in accordance with Section 11A of Act 597 through a select committee. The newly appointed members are YBhg Tan Sri Othman Hashim (chairman), YBhg Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Md Yunus and YBrs Prof Madya Dr Madeline Berma,” the statement said.

Those reappointed are also mentioned. They are Datuk Lok Yim Pheng, Datuk Mah Weng Kwai, Datuk Godfrey Gregory Joitol, Assoc Prof Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Salleh and Jerald Joseph.

Othman graduated from Universiti Malaya and began a career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1979 which spans 30 years. Among the countries he has served in are Romania, the Czech Republic, the People’s Republic of China and Switzerland.

He was the Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland from 2009 to 2012 and Malaysian Ambassador to the United States in 2013.

He was appointed as the Secretary-General in September 2013 and successfully led the ministry during Malaysia’s chairmanship of Asean in 2015 and Malaysia’s non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council from 2015 to 2016, among others, until his retirement in 2016.

Mohd Hishamudin, barrister at-law of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, completed both his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

He served in various capacities including as president of the Sessions Court, Deputy Public Prosecutor, and Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, before being elevated as a judge in the Court of Appeal until his retirement in 2015.

He was known for striking down a provision in a Negeri Sembilan State Syariah Enactment, which punishes Muslim men for cross-dressing for being unconstitutional in 2014.

He also proposed that the Parliament review and abandon or amend the ISA, and made a rare ruling by awarding a former ISA detainee RM2.5 million for wrongful detention by the police. He also serves as chairman of the Malaysia Competition Commission and as a member of the Judicial Appointments Commission.

While congratulating those re-appointed, Suhakam said they acknowledged the outstanding service of the previous commission members – Prof Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin and Francis Johen (Madeline’s predecessor) under the exceptional leadership of the past chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail.