Suhakam Round Table Conference on Sunday will replace Parliament to exercise oversight and debate Suhakam Report 2001

(Petaling Jaya,  Thursday):  The Parliament Speaker, Tun Mohamad Zahir Ismail should explain why he rejected the urgent motion of the DAP MP for Tanjong, Chow Kon Yeow to debate the Suhakam Annual Report 2001 tabled on Monday while approving the urgent motion of the PAS MP for Pokok Sena, Mahfuz Omar to debate the issue of quota for non-Malays in matriculation courses in Mara college.  

I am not saying that Mahfuz’s urgent motion should not be debated but why Chow’s motion which concerns the state of human rights in the country could not also be debated.  

It is most regrettable that  the Speaker had also rejected Chow’s another motion to censure Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, as the minister in charge of human rights, for his failures to  to ensure Malaysia’s compliance with international human rights standards, as the failure to formulate a national action plan to promote and protect human rights in the country.  

It would appear that Parliament is headed for a second grave dereliction of duty in refusing to  debate or give any  notice to the Suhakam annual report 2001 tabled on Monday to  provide   strong  “back-up” to  Suhakam to “protect and promote” human rights by  mainstreaming human rights issues through diligent and conscientious “oversight” over Suhakam and  giving serious consideration to Suhakam reports and recommendations.

Unless the  Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad  intervene to  schedule a special parliamentary debate on the Suhakam Annual Report 2001 in the current meeting of  Parliament which ends next week,  the second Suhakam annual report will receive the same Parliamentary  neglect and contempt as the first Suhakam annual report last year.  

A Suhakam Commissioner had expressed to me his grave disappointment that the first Suhakam Annual Report 2000 did not receive any debate or attention by Parliament after it was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in April last year, and it would appear that the same fate awaits the second Suhakam Annual Report 2001.  

Malaysians, in particular the human rights  NGO community and the civil society, should express their grave concern at the repeated failure of  Parliament to discharge its “oversight” responsibilities over Suhakam to mainstream human rights issues in the country by having a special debate on the latest Suhakam annual report.  

Until Malaysia has a Parliament which is more responsible and responsive to its “oversight” responsibilities over Suhakam to mainstream human rights issues, the human rights NGO community and the civil society must step forward to fill the void created by Parliament. 

The Round Table Conference on Suhakam annual report 2002 to be held at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (upstairs)  on Sunday, 23^rd June 2002 (10 am – 1 pm)  will be the first step to  replace Parliament to exercise oversight over Suhakam and debate the Suhakam Report 2001.  

Among those who have agreed to participate in the Round Table Conference are HAKAM President, Ramdas Tikamdas;  former HAKAM President and former Bar Council Chairman, Raja Aziz Addruse; former Bar Council Chairman, Zainur Zakaria; Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) coordinator Collin Nicholas; SUARAM Executive Director, Cynthia Gabriel; Women NGOs representative, Irene Xavier;  Concerned Citizen Group Coordinator, Charles Santiago and others.  

As convenor of the Round Table Conference, I have also sent an invitation to the  Suhakam Chairman, Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman to attend and participate in the Round Table Conference, as it will be a useful bridge between Suhakam and the NGO community and the civil society.  

As Members of Parliament, whether from government or opposition,  have not been allowed to have a special debate on the Suhakam Annual Report 2001, the Suhakam Round Table Conference on Sunday will provide a forum for the MPs both to hear and to give their views. 

DAP MP for Tanjong, Chow Kon Yeow, in charge of  the portfolio of human rights among DAP MPs, is sending out an invitation to all MPs to the Round Table Conference.  

Admission to the  Round Table Conference on Suhakam Report 2001 is by invitation only, and those interested should register themselves by Saturday by contacting Ms Nancy Wong or Ms Yong (Tel: 03-79578022; Fax: 03-79575718; Email: [email protected])  

(20/6/2002)