Jernell Tan Chia Ee

Jernell Tan is the Documentation & Monitoring Coordinator at Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM). Formed in 1989 following the mass detention of human rights activists under the Internal Security Act 1960 in 1987, SUARAM works on a range of human rights issues. These include misuse of security laws, police accountability, deaths and torture in custody, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, human rights defender protection. SUARAM also monitors the functioning of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM).

As the Documentation & Monitoring Coordinator, Jernell builds evidence to safeguard civic freedoms and accountability. She monitors media reports, government data, protests, court proceedings and public inquiries—most recently the SUHAKAM Taiping Prison inquiry—to turn field documentation into timely, actionable advocacy with various stakeholders, including Members of Parliament, ministries, international NGOs, and United Nations (UN) actors. An integral part of Jernell’s work is to prepare and compile SUARAM’s Malaysia Human Rights Report—now entering its 26th year since 1999.

Beyond SUARAM, Jernell is co-founder and Advocacy Lead of NYAWA – Mental Health Aid Association, where she spearheaded the Mental Health Policy Case Competition (run three times, 2021–2024) to empower Malaysian youth aged 18 tp 27 in mental health policymaking. Previously, she served as Information & Communications Officer at the All Women’s Action Society (AWAM).

Impact is purpose with stamina—and the tact to navigate power and constraints. It’s also a humbling journey: even as we honour personal agency, we recognise change is incremental, interdependent, and never the work of one—our shared task is to build the scaffolding that lets breakthroughs hold.