Erosion of constitutional civil liberties has became a norm in the country through various forms, human rights watchdog Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) warned in its annual report launched today on the state of Malaysians' civil and political rights.

It said this was despite the Federal Constitution guaranteeing a list of fundamental rights meant to safeguard freedom of movement, speech, religion assembly and association and of liberty, equality and prohibition from banishment,

"But the erosion of these civil liberties in the form of legislation, emergency proclamations and executive decisions made pursuant to them has become the norm while the rights and freedoms themselves have been exercised only intermittently," the report stated.

"The proclamation and maintenance of emergency rule until today allows the government to maintain power as they provide justification for arbitrary arrest and detention, detention without trial and denial of judicial review," the report added.

Suaram's Human Rights 2003 Report was jointly launched by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz, his deputy M Kayveas, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, as well as representatives from prominent non- governmental organisations at the Parliament's lobby.

International conventions

Suaram noted that many of the instruments created during the state of emergency have subsequently been converted into laws and exist today side by side "with other ordinary laws that empower the executive with extensive powers to impair human rights".

These laws among others, it said, included the Sedition Act, the Internal Security Act, the Prevention of Crime Act, the Trade Unions Act, the Police Act, the Universities and University Colleges Act, the Official Secrets Act, the Restricted Residence Enactment and the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

The report also pointed out that Malaysia has not ratified several major international human rights instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention Against Torture.

"Despite Malaysia's rhetoric expressed internationally for human rights for the Iraqis and Palestinians among others, it has not reciprocated in terms of its international obligation to Malaysians," the Suaram report said.

The report also said that many basic civil and political rights of due process involving speech, assembly and association in Malaysia were frequently "transgressed by the authorities".

Eight chapters

Met after the launch, Suaram executive director Cynthia Gabriel ( second from right ) said an assessment on the trend of human rights for the seven months Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been in office was still premature.

"It is still too early to tell. Anti-corruption pledges have been made but in relation to this there were only a few arrests made. It is not enough to act on what is just the tip of the iceberg," she said, adding that Suaram would continue its monitoring work.

Gabriel stressed that much more had to be done by the government with regards to human rights, citing the 'unsatisfactory' ranking of Malaysia last year in this respect by the United Nations' Human Rights Commission.

"Changes have to be long-term and meaningful, not merely lip-service," she said.

Suaram's 242-page report comprises eight chapters covering namely detention without trial and arbitrary arrest; police brutality, police shootings and deaths in custody; freedom of speech and expression; freedom of assembly and association; freedom of religion, Hudud and related matters; refugees and asylum seekers; the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and selected stories of affected persons.

Following the official launch today, Suaram plans to hold smaller launches at selected MPH bookstores in the country.

Those interested in obtaining a copy of the report can contact Suaram at 03-7784 3525 or at e-mail suaram@suaram.org . The report is priced at RM25 per copy .