Suhakam finding sufficient, task force unnecessary

Malaysian Bar president says that the very formation of a national task force shows that the government misunderstood the reason for the formation of a national inquiry.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Bar has criticised the formation of the national task force that would be reviewing Suhakam’s inquiry report on land rights of the indigenous communities on the grounds that it was creating doubts over the findings.

“It appears that one of the terms of reference of the intended task force is to review and verify the truth of the allegations contained in the Suhakam report.

“This objective of the task force is a fundamental misunderstanding of the purposes of the national inquiry, particularly when it involved all stakeholders including the government (through the participation of the Orang Asli Development Department),” said Malaysia Bar president, Christopher Leong in a statement today.

On Aug 5, Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low Seng Kuan announced that the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples Report would not be tabled in Parliament.

“It is not necessary for the report to be tabled in parliament. This way, it gives the government time to study and consult. Today the report is made public,” said Paul Low after receiving the report on behalf of the cabinet.

It would be reviewed by a national task force that is led by Integrity Institute of Malaysia chairman Mohd Tap Salleh with representation from government agencies and NGOs from both the East and West Malaysia.

Leong said that Suhakam embarked on a two-year national inquiry due to numerous complaints and allegations of lack of care, abuse, and inaction by the government and its agencies with respect to the welfare and rights of indigenous people.

He added that under such circumstances, having a national task force to review the findings was defeating the purpose of an independent inquiry.

“Suhakam was tasked as an independent body to inquire into and investigate these allegations and complaints. Suhakam had done so and produced its findings and recommendations.

“It is thus incongruous for the government to now seek to duplicate or re-do the work of Suhakam with respect to the complaints or allegations against it. This defeats the purpose of having had an independent body to inquire and investigate the complaints,” said Leong.

Leong added that the review of the inquiry report would increase the burden on public funds.

In throwing its full support for the findings of the report, the Bar also echoed Orang Asli community leaders’ disappointment as the report was not tabled in Parliament as planned previously.

“This is regrettable as it deprives our elected representatives of the opportunity of examining and debating the recommendations in parliament, particularly based on their peculiar experiences in dealing with the indigenous people in their constituencies.

“The formation of the task force by the government should be in addition to tabling the Suhakam report in Parliament,” said Leong.