The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has submitted its 2002 annual report to Parliament, citing a major challenge in expediting government response to issues that touch o­n fundamental liberties.

Commission secretary Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria handed over the report to secretary of Parliament Mohd Salleh Hassan o­n Monday. Copies were distributed to MPs today

Suggestions ignored

The annual report cited three documents that have yet to receive any feedback from the government - the Kesas Highway Inquiry report (submitted o­n April 2, 2001), the Freedom of Assembly report (July 24, 2002) and the National Human Rights Plan of Action (Feb 25, 2002).

"Suhakam regrets that the government has not deemed it important to consider and adopt any of the recommendations made in the Freedom of Assembly report and that the blanket ban imposed o­n political ceramah ( gathering ) in open spaces remains in place," the report said.

The commission said it is also inappropriate for Malaysia to remain hesitant about ratifying the International Covenant o­n Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant o­n Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

"(The government) does not seem to regard the accession of these important human rights covenants and conventions as a matter of priority," it said in the 132-page report.

ISA reports

Suhakam also urged the government to deliberate its two latest reports o­n the Internal Security Act - a public inquiry into detention conditions and a review of the security law.

The inquiry report released last month had called for improvement in treatment during the 60-day interrogation period, living conditions, family visits, legal access and medical treatment.

The review report released this morning recommended that the law be repealed and a new law be enacted to strike a balance between human rights and national security.

Suhakam expressed appreciation to the judiciary, police and prisons department for their measures to improve the welfare and rights of young prisoners.

Former chief justice Mohamad Dzaiddin Abdullah was commended for having issued a practice direction to magistrates to be o­n call o­n weekends and public holidays so that the police can produce suspects within 24 hours of their arrest.

Suhakam said it had also held dialogues with the police and visited lock-ups after it received complaints regarding custodial deaths and other forms of police abuse.

"As a result, the police set up a human rights desk in the criminal investigation department. Suhakam welcomes this move and hopes it would sensitise the police to human rights principles and improve co-operation between the police and Suhakam," the report said.

Complaints resolved

Suhakam also noted a 13 percent drop in the number of complaints it received compared to 2001.

"This decrease is mainly caused by the marked decline in the number of organised campaigns by civil society when compared to the first two years of Suhakam's existence" it said.

Of the 218 complaints received last year, 37 percent did not fall within Suhakam's jurisdiction - many complaints were of a criminal nature, related to administrative inefficiency in the bureaucracy or were matters pending in court.

Suhakam said it had resolved 59 cases, fowarded 24 to relevant government agencies for further action, and classified 58 as no-further-action cases. It is still investigating the remaining 77 complaints.

Set up in April 2000 under the foreign affairs ministry, Suhakam has employed16 officers and 26 support staff, including those at its branch offices in Sabah and Sarawak.

It received RM9.7 million from the government last year, and had a balance of RM1.7 million brought forward from 2001.

As of last December, Suhakam had spent RM5.5 million o­n managerial expenditure and RM2.6 million for purchase of assets. The balance of RM3.3 million is carried forward to the current year.