The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has long endured criticism that it is a ‘toothless tiger’ as it is only able to do little more than issue sternly worded reports that have little impact on how the government operates.

Indeed, one of its former chairpersons Hasmy Agam once described the commission as being “worse than a toothless tiger” and more like “a watchdog that is tied to the post...