As a citizen of Malaysia, I am being oppressed by yarl restaurant's boss who fills my bedrooms with loud and deafening noise at an average of 17 hours a day, soak my clothes with curry each time I put them out to dry in the balcony, chases me out of my bedroom early in the morning when I am still in my deep sleep, and doesn't allow me to sleep 8 hours a day. My every movement is restricted by him. I cannot go out with friends at night, cannot attend dinner at night, cannot watch TV at night because if I do, I will suffer from lack of sleep when he wakes me up early in the morning with his loud and deafening kitchen hood noise. But most of the time, I can't even sleep early to avoid sleep deprivation. This is because yarl restaurant's boss likes to turn off the kitchen hood late at night only to turn it on again very early the following morning. 56 years after our country achieved independence, is this the kind of life we should expect? I thought we can have freedom, at least the most basic ones, such as the right to decide when to sleep and when to wake up, the right to watch midnight movies, the right to attend dinners at night. I am still being oppressed like a slave but I can't say or do anything about it. During the British colonization, we did not suffer like this. At least, the British people did not torture us to such an extent because they respect human rights. Here, I would like to look into the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights in detail and see how it applies to me as a citizen of Malaysia.
THE UNITED NATIONS' DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom (what freedom if I am not even allowed to sleep 8 hours a day), justice (what justice if I cannot say or do anything about the sufferings I am going through as a noise pollution victim) and peace (there is no peace with noise pollution) in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts (turning on the loud and deafening kitchen hood to disturb the entire neighbourhood as early as 5.20 a.m. and at average of 17 hours a day is indeed a barbarous act) which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear (I live in constant fear to be waken up from my deep sleep by yarl restaurant's loud and deafening kitchen hood every morning and to endure loud and deafening noise at an average of 17 hours a day) and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression (I am being oppressed to the extent that I can't take it anymore), that human rights should be protected by the rule of law (The fact that yarl restaurant's boss is allowed to turn on his noisy kitchen hood whenever he likes and as loudly as he likes clearly shows that the citizens of Malaysia are not protected by the rule of law),
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights (there cannot be equal rights when I have to suffer in the hands' of yarl restaurant's boss and cannot do anything about it.) of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life (my standard of life is degrading due to noise pollution) in larger freedom (I don't even have the freedom to a peaceful living),
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms (there is no respect and observance of human rights because I am living like a slave and cannot do anything about it),
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
Article 1.
- All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. (I don't have any dignity because I am living like a slave. I don't even have the right to sleep 8 hours a day. Does the spirit of brotherhood mean "Noise for you, money for me"?)
Article 2.
- Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms (I don't even have the right to sleep 8 hours a day, to watch TV at night, and to go out at night because I must wake up early when yarl restaurant chases me out of my bedroom early every morning. I can't even stay in my bedroom because of the kitchen hood noise. My house has been made uninhabitable by yarl restaurant's kitchen hood noise) set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
- Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. (But I am living like a slave with my every move being controlled by yarl restaurant's boss. When he turns on his noisy kitchen hood early every morning, I have to leave my bedroom immediately. )
Article 4.
- No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms (I am living like a slave 56 years after Malaysia achieved independence).
Article 5.
- No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (I am constantly being subjected to sleep deprivation which is a form of torture intended for war prisoners and criminals. This is a form of inhuman, degrading treatment / punishment).
Article 6.
- Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7.
- All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8.
- Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law (I am not protected by the constitution or law. The environmental laws are not enforceable in Malaysia. Yral restaurant's boss can do whatever he likes because he owns a restaurant).
Article 9.
- No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
- Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11.
- (1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
- (2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Article 12.
- No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks (Yarl restaurant's boss is constantly intruding into my life, killing me slowly with his noise pollution program and making my flat unfit for human habitation. he is taking away all my honour, dignity and reputation. I am living like a slave now).
Article 13.
- (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement (My every move is controlled by yarl restaurant. Whenever there is a water cut in my area and the water supply is restored after 10 p.m., I have to go to bed hungry and without taking a bath. Eating and bathing take time and I can't afford to do these because I have to sleep early since yarl restaurant's boss will turn on his loud and deafening kitchen hood early every morning and chase me out of my bedroom with his noise kitchen hood.) and residence within the borders of each state.
- (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14.
- (1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
- (2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15.
- (1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
- (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16.
- (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
- (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
- (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17.
- (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
- (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18.
- Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19.
- Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
- (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
- (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21.
- (1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
- (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
- (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22.
- Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23.
- (1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
- (2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
- (3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
- (4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24.
- Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25.
- (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control (I do not have the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of myself and my family. We are being chased out of our bedrooms early every morning whilst still in our deep sleep. We are not allowed to sleep 8 hours a day.).
- (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26.
- (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
- (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
- (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27.
- (1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
- (2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28.
- Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized (The rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration do not mean anything to me because I have none).
Article 29.
- (1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
- (2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
- (3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30.
- Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
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