A motion in Parliament today to debate a scathing report on the judiciary by a panel of international legal experts was rejected by deputy speaker Lim Si Cheng on the ground that it was not an "urgent matter".

DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok tried to table a motion to debate the report; however, the deputy speaker said that the motion had to fulfil three conditions, one of which was that it had to be a "specific" issue. Lim added that examples of "specific" issues included floods and World War II.

"Furthermore, the matter is not urgent because the House still has lots of time (to debate the issue)," he said. This was followed by laughter among the MPs who were present in Parliament.

Kok told malaysiakini that she was dissatisfied over the deputy speaker's decision. She stressed that the report on Malaysia's judiciary is a pressing matter because it involved the good name and image of the country.

The report, "Justice in Jeopardy: Malaysia 2000", by the International Bar Association, the Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers of the International Commission of Jurists, the Commonwealth Lawyer's Association and the Union Internationale des Avocats, was released in Geneva last Wednesday.

The 143-page report expressed serious concerns that the judiciary is not independent and this perception is also held by members of the general public.

The report also highlighted a series of court cases which it said revealed that the legal system was being manipulated for political ends, including the defamation proceedings against Param Cumaraswamy, and the judgement in the case of former DAP Kota Melaka MP Lim Guan Eng.

In addition, the report questioned the fairness of Anwar's trial and the independence and impartiality of the trial judge.

"The use of contempt proceeding against lawyers practising their profession is a serious obstacle to their ability to render services freely and certain provisions of Malaysian legislation are extremely restrictive and well outside the ambit of international standards," the report said.

It also called for the repeal of the Internal Security Act and the Sedition Act and an independent law commission be established to review existing legislation and recommend amendments that are consistent with international human rights law.

Meanwhile, Minister in Prime Minister's Department Rais Yatim was today rebuked for his failure to take immediate action in response to the report.

DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang said Rais came out with a "shocking revelation" yesterday when the minister claimed that he was not aware of the report although two copies of the report were sent to the Malaysian Permanent Mission in Geneva on February 17.

"The report was posted on the Internet the instant it was released worldwide (on April 5)," Lim added.

According to a report in The Star yesterday, Rais was quoted as saying, "I'm not aware of this report and I have not received a copy of it." He added that he would brief the Cabinet on the report after he has had a chance to read it.

Lim said that the issues raised by the report are very serious for the report represents the failure of Malaysian judiciary to pass international scrutiny for being independent or having just rule of law.

On a separate matter, DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock called upon the Human Rights Commission to investigate Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam for the violations of rights following the CM's termination of the services of lawyers, doctors and other professionals aligned with the opposition ([#1] "Malacca CM's move a discrimination against professionals"[/#] , March 6).

[#2] Malaysian judiciary attacked by international bodies[/#] , April 7

The full document of the report "Justice in Jeopardy: Malaysia 2000" is available at [#3] http://www.ibanet.org/misc/pressrel.asp[/#]