Malaysia unfit to be in Human Rights Council, says Suaram

By Rahmah Ghazali

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia does not deserve to be in the United Nations Human Rights Council if it continues with its “rampant” human rights violations, said human rights watchdog Suaram.
The situation has deteriorated under Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's watch since he took office in April 2009, said Suaram coordinator John Liu at the launch of Malaysia Human Rights Report 2009 here this morning.
Liu cited the use of controversial preventive laws such as the Internal Security Act (ISA), Emergency Ordinance (EO) and the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA), which permit detention without trial, which had brought the country to an all-time low under Najib.
Altogether, he said that more than 1,000 people have been detained under the preventive laws until the end of last year.
He said that the EO and DDA had many more detainees, including minors, compared to the ISA, which has 16 detainees.
“Some 819 people were detained under the EO, including 36 minors, and this is in blatant contravention of the Convention on the Rights of a Child and the Child Act Malaysia.
“Until February 2010, somde 412 people were detained under the DDA; so in total, more than 1,000 have been incarcerated without being tried in court,” said Liu.
"Reviewing and amending such laws is not sufficient. Even the UN Human Rights Council has said so in response to calls to abolish the ISA," he said.
“In 2009, there were nine detainees under ISA. Even when the government talks of amending and reviewing the law, it continues to detain people. The number is now 16,” he said.
In its 228-page report, Suaram highlighted alleged abuses of power by law enforcement agencies, such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, deaths in custody, heightened intolerance towards dissent, mass arrests during protests against the government and critics of the government “targeted for harassment”.
It also focused on the plight on refugees and asylum seekers and the alternative media which has become the latest “victim” of political interests.

Less optimistic

Liu expressed fears about the Barisan Nasional government’s resistance to change although international reports were not favourable to it.
This was proven when at least two international reports in 2009 drew attention to the collusion between the immigration authorities in trafficking and refugees at the border.
“This is a major threat that we discerned in 2009 and it is expected to continue in 2010,” he said.
Malaysia also failed to comply with minimum human right standards in spite of recommendations made by bodies like Suhakam and the UN Human Rights Council.
“Inspite of this, it still did not stop Malaysia from seeking election into UN Human Rights Council in May 2010,” said Liu.
Suaram director, Dr Kua Kia Soong, was also less optimistic when asked whether Malaysia had a chance to get into the respectable council.
“If you ask any Suaram member, I’m sure you will know the answer,” he laughs.
“Those lobbyists in the UN asked us (whether Malaysia is qualified), but I don’t think we deserve to be in the council. Definitely not,” he said.
Former ISA detainee Mat Sah Mat Satray, who related his experience under detention for eight years, also attended the two-hour conference.

Five-point recommendation

Suaram urged the government to repeal all detention without trial laws, pointing out that “these legislations severely violate fundamental human rights”.
Other longstanding demands to the government include:

• Setting up immediately an independent and effective oversight monitoring body to ensure accountability in the police force and other law enforcement agencies;
• Repealing repressive legislations and/or provisions in laws which undermine freedom of speech, expression and assembly;
• Recognising the status and rights of refugees and asylum seekers;
• Ratifiying all the remaining core international human rights treaties (Malaysia has only ratified two of the nine core treaties); and
• Strengthening Suhakam’s independence and implementing the commission’s recommendations.