The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has refuted Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s claim that the commission had given the Prevention of Terrorism Act its seal of approval .

 

Instead, it said it issued a letter to the Home Ministry on March 12 to seek an opportunity to advise the state on how the bill could be improved in terms of human rights.

 

“The commission once again maintains that it was not and has not been consulted on the legislation,” Suhakam said in a statement yesterday.

 

The commission added it had released a statement expressing regret after the bill was passed in the Dewan Rakyat last week.

 

“The commission expressed its regret that the Pota was passed despite uncertainty in several of its provisions,” it said.

 

It said Pota, which allows detention without trial for up to two years at the will of a prevention of terrorism board, has serious issues and needs proper oversight.

 

The commission also urged the government to be committed to its international human rights obligations and revise the bill through stakeholder consultation.

 

“The commission maintains its support for legal measures to counter all forms of terrorism, but asserts that any such law must be in line and in full compliance with human rights principles.

 

“The commission has also been, and is consistent in its call, that protecting human rights and public safety must be complementary,” Suhakam said.

'Gov't never consults us'

 

Zahid yesterday claimed Suhakam had agreed to Pota, on the condition that the government respects and maintains human rights.

 

He said the government’s commission overseeing human rights is at liberty to be "worse than a toothless tiger " as the Suhakam chairperson had declared.

 

Suhakam chief Hasmy Agam ( right ) made the comment while presenting the 2014 Suhakam report this week, to express frustration on how Suhakam’s views are not taken on board.

 

Hasmy said Suhakam was only “briefed” on the Pota but not asked for advice.

"From time to time, the government has said that it consulted Suhakam.

"That's not quite true. They have only briefed us," he lamented to the media on Wednesday.

Commenting on Hasmy's "shocking" revelation, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng yesterday said Suhakam's commissioners should resign en bloc and file a complaint with the rulers against Putrajaya's treatment of the commission.