Suhakam comes under fire again for staying quiet

Suhakam has been blasted again for being “quiet” despite the human rights watchdog claiming that it remains diligent and actively engaged in its fight.

During a press conference, human rights organisation Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy asked why the watchdog needed to work quietly, urging that it should be more proactive in its engagement with the public.

“You are the watchdog for human rights. You need to be proactive, to engage with the civil society.

“You need to push the government which promised to look into issues of human rights… it is the responsibility of Suhakam,” Sevan said at the Suaram headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

He was responding to Suhakam chairperson Rahmat Mohamad who refuted claims that the commission was not performing its duties.

Met with controversy

Rahmat acknowledged that its current activities may not receive as much attention as before but reassured that it remains diligent and actively engaged in its fight for human rights.

He said in response to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who lamented during her debate on the 2020 Suhakam Report in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday that the current Suhakam commissioners were “quieter” than their predecessors.

Also present at the press conference was PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan who added that the appointment of the current commissioners was met with controversy, especially when some of the members did not fulfil the criteria of appointment.

He believed that this was the reason why Suhakam’s engagement with civil society has dropped significantly.

He also agreed with Kok’s remarks, saying, “ What she said is quite true. It (Suhakam) is very quiet. You hardly see many statements from Suhakam.”

“That's not the way a human rights commission should perform,” he added.

Never shared reports

Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (Caged) spokesperson Rama Ramanathan also cited an example of Suhakam’s passive actions.

He pointed out that Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah had said at the Dewan Rakyat this week about how the Criminal Investigation Unit for Deaths in Custody (USJKT) would hold meetings with Suhakam and Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) every three months.

Rama noted that since USJKT’s formation, Suhakam has never shared reports on the meetings as well as anything regarding custodial deaths.

He added that it was odd that it was a deputy minister who updated on this matter and not the human rights commission.

“Suhakam is totally silent… It should be a voice by itself and effective human rights institutions should be the ones pushing the government.

“So, I agree with the criticisms of Suhakam in Parliament,” he said. - Mkini