Suhakam: Lowest number of complaints in five years

The Star
BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) received the lowest number of complaints in five years, its annual report 2013 revealed.

A total of 624 complaints were received compared with 911 the year before, 1,232 in 2011, 721 in 2010 and 941 in 2009.

Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam said the lower number of cases reported could be partly due to greater understanding of human rights while issues not related to human rights were directed elsewhere.

“There are other commissions that looked into various issues and other processes that could be done first and we will make sure those are done first,” he told a press conference.

Report chairman Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee said the figures were unusually high in 2011 due to the complaints received from the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Hasmy said Suhakam handed over 13 annual reports to Parliament and none had been tabled and it welcomed the recommendation by the Government in 2012 to set up a Permanent Parliamentary Select Committee on Human Rights, which he hoped would subsequently lead to the tabling of the report in Parliament.

He said that currently, there seemed to be more collaborations on the issue between the two political coalitions at the committee level behind close doors, nevertheless, he hoped that the human rights issues would still be debated in Parliament.

Hasmy said he hoped the setting up of the committee would be expedited soon so that parliamentarians could give adequate attention to Suhakam’s future annual reports, as this was a normal process in other countries.

He also said that Suhakam had met Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the ministry’s officials, with the presence of Minister in the Prime Minister Datuk Paul Low recently to discuss several issues under the Home Ministry’s care.

"We are happy to know that Datuk Ahmad Zahid has given a positive response and expressed the ministry’s readiness to work with Suhakam on human rights issues,” he said.

Hasmy said they had pointed out the importance of the Government adhering to international human rights principles and portray a positive image for the country in the eyes of the international community.

Thirteen main issues were highlighted in the report, including amendments to the laws, Malaysia’s involvement in the international human rights treaties and rights to education for children with learning difficulties.

The report also highlighted the rights of care for senior citizens, freedom of assembly, challenges of human rights activists, issues on detention centres, Universal Periodic Review and the National Human Rights Action Plan.

Report on land rights of indigenous communities expected end April

BY LOH FOON FONG
(online version)

The Orang Asli settlement.- Filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) is expecting the national task force studying the findings and recommendations of the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples to be completed by end of this month.

Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam said he believed that some of the recommendations might not be employed while others might take a longer time to implement.

“We hope by the end of this month there will be a report and we will know how much will be taken into consideration,” he said during a press conference after launching the Suhakam 2013 Annual Report on Friday.

Suhakam completed the national inquiry report in April last year and announced it to the public on Aug 5.

It was released following the Government’s decision to set up a national task force to study the findings, recommendations and proposals.

Hasmy said it would hold a campaign to bring the recommendations forward in the event the national inquiry report was rejected.

Nevertheless, he said he would not prejudge the issue.

He said the orang asli had been sidelined for far too long.

Suhakam conducted the inquiry following numerous complaints as well as a memorandum from the indigenous community on the violation of their human rights, especially on customary land rights.

More than 6,500 indigenous people participated in public consultations during the 18-month long inquiry.

Suhakam came up with 18 recommendations following the inquiry, including recognising indigenous customary rights to land, having redress mechanisms for land loss and preventing future loss of native customary rights to land.