From the onset, Suhakam should have known better than to invite former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to its Human Rights Conference.

After all, there was enough examples, where the former Malaysian leader had since his retirement, made far too many controversial statements about the West and issues in West Asia, which upset many foreign nations and according to reliable sources "irritated the present administration!"

As people say "the writings were on the wall" after several non-governmental organisations had boycotted the conference after Suhakam refused to strike the former premier off its list of speakers.

These organisations working on various human rights initiatives felt strongly that Mahathir was certainly not the best person to speak on human rights issues after his rather controversial tenure in office!

So with the walkout of at least three foreign envoys, among them the British High Commissioner Bruce Elliot Cleghorn, Suhakam's embarrassment is complete and this conference would be remembered internationally for the walkout rather than the issues to be deliberated.

It speaks volumes of those representing Suhakam!