Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam said 2 days ago that he planned to see Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, the minister in charge of parliamentary affairs to set up a permanent parliamentary committee on human rights which will serve as an interim measure to allow members of parliament to discuss human rights issues brought up in Suhakam‘s annual reports.
He said he hoped that the reports will be fully debated in Parliament one day, as is done in other countries with similar human rights commission.
DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has been pushing for the annual reports to be fully debated in Parliament, describing the Parliament’s failure to debate the report as doing a triple injustice to Suhakam, human rights and the institution of Parliament itself
However, the government has until today continued not to allow full debate of the reports although Suhakam has since its formation in 1999 submitted 12 annual reports to Parliament.
This certainly reflects the government’s lack of seriousness and commitment to human rights and democracy.
It also shows that the government is not giving Suhakam the proper respect for its role and responsibilities as a promoter and protector of human rights.
What serious and effective role can Suhakam play if the government does not allow full debate of its reports in Parliament or remains unresponsive to its recommendations contained in the reports?
In fact, the government has even allowed Suhakam to be in limbo without commissioners in 2010 and 2013.
In 2010, there was no commissioner for 45 days and in 2013, new appointment was only made on June 3 when the previous commissioners’ appointment had ended on April 26.
Two years ago, the Prime MinsiterDatuk Seri Najib pledged to make Malaysia “the best democracy in the world”.
If Najib is serious about his “best democracy” declaration, he should allow full parliamentary debate of Suhakam‘s annual reports.