G25: Govt should intervene in Suhakam internal struggle

Suhakam has come in for another drubbing - this time from G25 which urged the government to intervene in the internal struggle plaguing the human rights body.

The group said the government should ensure an independent investigation into the racial discrimination and abuse of power allegation made against the commission's chairperson Rahmat Mohamad.

In a statement, G25 said while Suhakam had promised that an internal investigation into the complaints will be conducted by an "independent body", Suhakam investigating its own chairperson will never be perceived by the public as independent.

"We are of the view that an ‘internal investigation’ is not the appropriate step to be taken, if, what is meant by internal, is that the investigation would be carried out by Suhakam itself.

"An investigation by Suhakam itself against its very own chairperson could never ever be perceived by the public to be independent.

"Therefore, G25 earnestly hopes that a truly independent committee, a committee independent of Suhakam, would be appointed by the government as soon as possible," the group said.

Suhakam chairperson Rahmat Mohamad

It added that a committee appointed by the government should preferably be headed by a retired judge to ensure a fair and impartial probe.

G25 said it supported the suggestion by Suaram that Rahmat should take a garden leave pending the conclusion of the investigation against him.

It also criticised the legal action filed by Rahmat against Suhakam deputy secretary Shahizad Sulaiman following a complaint the latter had lodged accusing Rahmat of racial discrimination and abuse of power.

"Such internal crisis, and, ironically, the very nature of the complaint, with the publicity that it attracts, without doubt, will impact negatively the reputation of our country’s Human Rights Commission.

"In our respectful view, for the chairperson to have filed a suit in defamation against his very own officer, just because that officer lodged a formal complaint against him, was rash and highhanded.

"We are, however, relieved to know from Suhakam's press statement that the suit had subsequently been withdrawn."

G25's statement came days after Suhakam and Rahmat came under fire over a lawsuit that Rahmat filed against Shahizad last month.

Suhakam was also recently slammed by some NGOs for allegedly being "quiet". - Mkini