Two international human rights organisations, following a two-week study visit, have accused the Malaysian authorities of employing a sophisticated system to silence political dissidents.

Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of association are heavily restricted ... the tight control directly or indirectly exerted over the media is a key element in hindering independent human rights advocacy, said Anne-Christine Habbard from the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights and Laurence Cuny from the Geneva-based World Organisation Against Torture.

During the visit from March 7 to March 22, the two-person delegation met with attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail, Suhakam, the Bar Council, journalists, trade unionists, academics, politicians, students, families of Internal Security Act detainees.

The visit was to gather information on the situation of groups and individuals involved in the promotion and the defence of human rights in the country.

They concluded that the government resorts to a two-fold strategy; firstly through the purposeful use of extremely stringent legislation, and secondly, through the inculcation of a culture of fear through various means of pressure, intimidation and coercion.

This is made possible due to the ruling Barisan Nasional coalitions domination of virtually all aspects of Malaysian institutional, economic, political and judicial life.

The mandatory police permit for holding public gatherings of more than five people under the Police Act is selectively used as a tool to curtail the activities of the opposition parties as well as of civil society, they reported.

According to their report, non-governmental organisations are subject to the arbitrary discretion of the Registrar of Societies when attempting to register, which consequently compels many to register as companies.

This [however] weakens the structuring of civil society and exposes the organisations to sanctions by the authorities, they said in a press statement released today.

On the same note, the delegation expressed strong concerns about the independence of the judiciary which had the potential of aggravating the vulnerability of such human rights groups.

Black 14 anniversary

They also raised concerns with the upcoming anniversary of the detentions of pro-reform leaders under the Internal Security Act on April 10 and the anniversary of jailed ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahims conviction on April 14.

Tension and pressure on human rights defenders are likely to grow in the coming weeks... [and] to mark the first anniversary of their detention, six ISA detainees have expressed their intention to go on a hunger strike on April 10, they lamented.

The detentions of former filmmaker and malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais and Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua under the ISA were highlighted as examples of the political curtailment of any opposition or involvement in organising civil society.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian government was also criticised for discouraging and discrediting independent human rights advocacy, thus leaving more room for human rights violations.

The delegation called on the Malaysian authorities to abolish the ISA which allows for indefinite detention without trial, and to ratify the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention Against Torture.