Suhakam: Ismail Sabri biased against Suaram

His remarks were partisan and uncalled for, says commissioner Sha'ani

KUALA LUMPUR:  A Suhakam commissioner today blasted cabinet minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for his recent remarks against human rights NGO Suaram, describing them as “partisan” and “uncalled for”.

“He should be neutral and independent,” commissioner Mohd Sha’ani Abdullah said in reference to Ismail’s statements regarding Suaram’s accounts and ongoing investigations into them by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM).

Sha’ani was speaking to reporters after receiving a memorandum from Suaram in which the NGO complained of “constant harassment” by government agencies.

Ismail, who is the Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism, declared on Sept 3 that Suaram’s accounts were “highly suspicious”. Last Tuesday, when he announced that CCM would bring charges against Suaram operating entity Suara Initiatif Sdn Bhd, he described the accounts as “misleading”.

Sha’ani said Ismail’s “partisan remarks are uncalled for because he is giving unproven views. Until today there has been no evidence to back his claim.”

On Wednesday, Deputy Solicitor General II Tun Majid Tun Hamzah said the investigation papers that CCM had submitted were incomplete and the Attorney General’s office could not yet draft charges against Suaram.

Sha’ani also brushed aside suggestions that Suaram had done wrong in receiving foreign funding.

“What’s wrong with receiving foreign funding?” he said. “There are no laws stating that an organisation cannot receive foreign funding.

“All monetary transactions are monitored by Bank Negara Malaysia.”

He called on the Malaysian government to fund human rights groups since it sits on the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“Government should fund civil societies,” he said. “Even Suhakam has to depend on regional and United Nations funding.”