Pakatan Rakyat has demanded the resignation of senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah as chairperson of an Asean human rights organisation.

Shafee, being a close adviser to ruling party BN, will not be able to discharge his duties as a chairperson of the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), it alleged today.

It is "delusional" to pin hopes on him upholding human rights in this country, Pakatan held.

PAS elections director Mohd Hatta Ramli said there is no hope for Shafee to uphold and promote human rights in the country after the latter’s relentless act to politically persecute opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim ( left ), became apparent.

"Malaysians demand that Shafee step down immediately or the government take steps to replace Shafee as chairperson of the AICHR," he added, at the Lembah Pantai parliamentary office and service centre.

He was joined by Gooi Hsiao Leung of PKR and Lim Lip Eng of DAP, all of whom asserted that they have "zero expectations that Shafee will perform".

A day after Anwar’s conviction by the Federal Court on sodomy charges, Malaysia hosted the 17th Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights in Kuala Lumpur.

The expectation for Shafee to be able to perform as chairperson is close to nil when his principal, Umno, is the “worst offender” of human rights violations in Malaysia, Mohd Hatta pointed out.

"Malaysia deserves an independent, non-partisan human rights defender to chair the AICHR.

'Embarrasing to Malaysia'

"It would be embarrassing to the country. He (Shafee) should step down," he stressed.

The trio queried how can anyone expect Shafee to perform when - after 58 years of independence - the Malaysian government has “shied away” from signing key United Nations human rights conventions.

Mohd Hatta added that Shafee's appointment as chairperson was not by means of an election, and that his post was instead selected by the government.

The AICHR meeting from Feb 11 to 14 was Shafee's maiden role of chairing the event.

Meanwhile, commenting on a question by reporters on BN backing away from the late Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's Chempaka seat, Mohd Hatta said BN should have "been consistent" from the get-go and have enough respect for Nik Aziz to have done so since the last elections.

Last Saturday, Kelantan Umno chief Mustapa Mohamed was reported as saying that he personally thought BN should not contest in the Chempaka by-election, as there are more pressing matters to attend to.

However, Mohd Hatta - who is also the Kuala Krai MP - noted that if BN does intend to contest anyway, then Pakatan is prepared and will go in with full force.

"We will see you in Chempaka and Permatang Pauh," he said, adding that they will only reveal more once the Permatang Pauh seat is declared vacant.

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