DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang has drawn attention to 'missing links' in the annual report produced by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and US country report o­n human rights practices in Malaysia.

He alleged that Suhakam's annual report "lacks full accountability, transparency and comprehensiveness" in keeping with its statutory responsibility to protect and promote human rights.

'Political prisoners'

Lim said Suhakam's failure to mention the high-profile case of Anwar Ibrahim reflects lack of comprehensiveness of the Suhakam's annual report 2002, which was submitted to Parliament o­n April 7.

"There are many other blemishes in the report which must be dissected, scrutinised and debated. This is not to run down Suhakam but to make it more effective in promoting human rights in Malaysia," he said.

He compared the document to the US report for 2002, which was released 10 days earlier than Suhakam's report. This maintained that Anwar and reformasi activists are political prisoners.

The US report says: "Anwar was charged, tried and convicted in a legal process that was politically motivated and patently unfair".

To this, Lim added: "Today is 'Black April 14', a day of infamy for Malaysia as it stands for injustice and oppression symbolised by the wrongful and unfair incarceration of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and reformasi activists."

He also expressed surprise that Suhakam released its annual report to the media o­n the same day as its review of the Internal Security Act (ISA).

"As a result, its annual report failed to get the detailed public examination, scrutiny and discussion which it would have been subjected to, if its (release had not clashed with) the report o­n the ISA review," he added.