Human Rights Watch (HRW) deputy director Phil Robertson has fired back at Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang for questioning the organisation's credentials after it released an unflattering report on the state of human rights in Malaysia.

Pointing out human rights abuses in the US where the organisation is based, Tan had on Twitter dismissed its damning 145-page report entitled: 'Creating Culture of Fear: The Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia'.

"Why bother with HRW's views on Malaysia? That's a human rights group from US, where Guantanamo Bay operates," he said in reference to the US Army facility which holds suspected terrorists without trial.

Robertson (photo) , however, pointed out that HRW had also been vociferous in its opposition to Guantanamo Bay and described Tan's comments as an attempt to dodge pressing issues in Malaysia.

"Tan Keng Liang is a sad broken record who ignored HRW in opposing Guantanamo Bay because he doesn't want to take us up on Malaysia issues," he said in a Twitter post in response to the Gerakan leader.

According to HRW's website, its earliest press statements against Guantanamo Bay date back to 2002, the same year the US facility was first set up in Cuba.

HRW's report on Malaysia released today ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to Malaysia next month, detailed a long list of crackdowns on dissent by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The report also proposed several areas for reform to improve the exercise of fundamental freedoms in the country.