Suhakam was established in 1999 during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's first tenure as prime minister. Since then, the human rights commission has been nothing more than a paper tiger with its recommendations often ignored by the previous governments.

MCA wants this to change and has called on Mahathir's new administration to give Suhakam a set of fangs.

The party's publicity spokesperson Ti Lian Ker said MCA agreed with Suhakam chairperson Razali Ismail that the government set up an office for an independent human rights ombudsman.

“The new government has been given the mandate to rule the nation strictly in accordance with the principles of the 'rule of law' and 'supremacy of the constitution' and to subordinate all other non-legal racial or religious base concerns of the past.

“Further, all the present MPs in the government were elected on the basis of their promise of a new Malaysia that will be more liberal with emphasise on respecting human rights over conservatives or orthodox views, based on race and religion which are not in the constitution.

“MCA has always maintained that the secular nature of the Constitution and the intent and spirit therein be upheld,” he added in a statement.

In this context, Ti said there is no better time to form an independent human rights ombudsman that has more bite, powers and adequate machinery that would implement and uphold the underlying principles of human rights separately from the government.

He noted how previous Suhakam chairpersons had acknowledged the fact that the commission did not have sufficient bite to bring about positive changes.

“Many of its recommendations and advice to the government since its establishment under Mahathir in 1999 have not been heeded or implemented,” he added.

Therefore, Ti said it is time for the new government to respect the political will and mandate of the people by giving Suhakam more powers.

“By giving Suhakam more powers, it will also help boost public confidence, not only locally, but in the eyes of the world.

“Suhakam has been recognised globally as a vital organisation to safeguard the rights of the people and must be given due powers to have an impact and to effectively carry out its role,” he added.