Suhakam neutrality in focus

Written by Sharon Tan

Thursday, 02 July 2009 21:54

KUALA LUMPUR: The issue of the neutrality of the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) members and chairman or lack thereof dominated the Suhakam (Amendment) Act 2009's winding-up debates in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Opposition MPs questioned the appointment of Datuk Mohd Shafee Abdullah as Suhakam commissioner as he is also Umno's lawyer.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamad Nazri Abdul Aziz countered by saying that the current Suhakam chairman, Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman, was even more unfit to sit in Suhakam as he had made a statement which was subjudice pertaining to the Perak constitutional crisis.

Abu Talib had in the midst of the crisis issued a statement declaring that the people of Perak should be given the opportunity to exercise their rights to choose the government of their choice in the wake of the legal tussle for power in the state.

Nazri said neutrality must be applied to all Suhakam members and told opposition MPs not to be selective in their stance.

Tian Chua (Batu-PKR) rebutted by distinguishing Abu Talib's and Mohd Shafee's positions.

"Abu Talib issued a statement based on his interpretation of human rights. This is different compared to the case of a lawyer (Mohd Shafee) who was appointed to act on behalf of a political party.

"He is also active in politics but at the same time he is still a commissioner. This confuses the people. How can a commissioner take part actively in political cases?" he asked.

Nazri said Abu Talib, being a former attorney-general and Suhakam chairman, should not have made the statement because the case was pending in court and the statement could influence the judge's decisions.

"The Perak assembly is not under his (Abu Talib) jurisdiction. He didn't need to make the statement. On the other hand, when Mohd Shafee was appointed as a lawyer, it was on professional basis, to defend his client.

"We should differentiate between his (Mohd Shafee) appointment as a professional and a commissioner because that is his service as a lawyer. He should not be seen as a politician. He is not a politician," he said, adding that Abu Talib's statement could not be justified because it was subjudice.

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Last Updated on Thursday, 02 July 2009 22:33

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