In this eight-part series with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, we speak to the eight appointed commissioners about their work, why they are passionate about human rights, and what they hope to achieve during their time in office. This week, Datuk Godfrey Joitol speaks to us about the issues of statelessness and indigenous land rights.

Datuk Godfrey joined the Sabah Civil Service in 1978 and retired as Deputy State Secretary in 2011. In a career spanning more than 30 years at the state government, he held senior positions in, among others, the Chief Minister’s Department, the Ministry of Community Development and Consumer Affairs, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry.