The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam)'s decision to hold an inquiry into the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) by the government has prompted Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia (Prim) to suggest that Suhakam inquire into the recent Petaling Jaya Selatan racial clashes as well.

Prim pro-tem committee secretary-general P Uthayakumar said today that although the party supported the inquiry into the ISA, it feels Suhakam should accord 'a higher priority' for the clashes which left six dead and score others severely injured.

"The inquiry into the ISA arrests merely involves the suspension of liberties whereas the severity and gravity of the Petaling Jaya Selatan tragedy is far more serious," he said.

On July 25, Suhakam announced that it will investigate the April arrest of 10 opposition leaders and reformasi activists under the ISA to ascertain whether the law had been misused.

(The arrests were carried out to pre-empt what the police said was a 'militant attempt to overthrow the government. Four were later released, while the rest were sent to the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak to undergo a two-year detention.)

Legal proceedings

Prim has been pushing Suhakam to hold an inquiry in to clashes which occurred on March 8 and lasted four days. The party wants Suhakam to determine the causes and the perpetrators of the incident.

Uthayakumar said that Prim will institute legal proceedings against Suhakam to compel the Commission to hold an inquiry if it did not do so on its own.

He said it was 'disappointing and disturbing that Suhakam was still trying to obtain reports on the clashes from various agencies after more than 140 days of the incident'.

On July 17, Suhakam had informed Prim that it will have to study the reports prepared by the relevant government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) before considering its next course of action.

It also sought Prim's assistance in helping to get 'affidavits from all victims, family members and other witnesses who could provide information about the incident'.

Prim rebuffed this request and claimed that Suhakam had sufficient material on the clashes from the two memoranda and other reports submitted by the party to the commission.