TODAY the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948.
Malaysia has come a long way in our involvement in human rights at the national and international levels.
This is even more apparent since 2018 — as we have seen progress in terms of democratic rights, particularly for the youth; increased judicial activism which empowers the rights of marginalised groups (i.e. the Federal Court decision to grant citizenship to a stateless teenager who was born in Malaysia); a more vibrant and diverse media landscape; and a rise in awareness on human rights issues.
There is much for Malaysians to be proud of. That said, the overemphasis on rights without consideration as to what is the objective and purpose while we pursue our freedom may result in certain negative consequences.
My research has revealed that excessive freedom of speech has resulted in cyberbullying and hate speech which has only worsened throughout the pandemic. For example, some were quick to blame Chinese nationals for the spread of Covid-19. The problem of racism only escalated from there.
Hatred and discrimination then passed onto whichever group was convenient to be targeted, such as anyone perceived to be associated with the Tabligh cluster.
Later, it was disheartening to see different ethnic and religious groups "united" in their hatred of migrants and refugees, particularly the Rohingya.
In this instance, there have been elements of extremism that even resulted in the issuance of death threats and assault against migrants, refugees and those who seek to help and protect them.
Unfortunately, the pandemic has amplified latent racism among us due to paranoia about our personal interests, security and economic livelihood.
As such, many of us do not wish to extend kindness to marginalised groups, and this includes the simple act of expressing empathy for the suffering of others.
This is reflected in many examples, such as the discourse on social media among many Malaysians who did not even think it's justifiable to express sympathy regarding the plight and death of Palestinians due to the escalation and disproportionate violence by the Israeli regime — condemned by international human rights organisations.
Government initiative of donating vaccines to underprivileged communities in developing countries was not well received either, due to concerns that the act would be at our detriment and there "won't be enough for us".
Isn't it ironic that we do not hesitate to accept the contribution of vaccine supplies from developed countries such as America and Japan?
When we talk and demand for the improvement of human rights, we often focus on how something benefits and affects us.
Rarely do we stop to think about the cost of exceeding the limits of our freedom, which is often at the expense of others.
It would appear that our calls for the realisation of human rights are often limited to ethnic, religious and national boundaries.
Can we really be considered as committing to 2021's Human Rights Day theme of "equality" when we only focus on our own kind? Is the pursuit of freedom only worth it if it benefits us alone, to the exclusion of others?
This is why it is important to consider the objective and purpose of freedom within the human rights discourse.
Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas articulately elaborated that "Freedom is to act as one's real and true nature demands — that is, as one's haqq and fitrah demands — and so only the exercise of that choice of which is good can properly be called 'free choice'.
"A choice for the better is therefore an act of freedom, and it is also known as an act of justice ('adl) done to oneself."
Thus, true and meaningful freedom is the act of doing good deeds to achieve justice. And justice must extend to protect all persons, particularly the marginalised and oppressed.
Such is the basic principle that should be used in our conception of human rights, which must be consistently championed by our leaders.
We must be responsible in our struggle to uphold human rights, and we must do so while bearing in mind the purpose of our freedom.
When this becomes the focus of human rights, we may see the enforcement of fundamental liberties that results in justice and everlasting happiness for persons of all ethnicities, religions and nationalities.
The writer is Senior lecturer at the Department of Government and Civilisational Studies, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia