The government should respond without any further delay to the inquiry report by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) on the aborted gathering at the Kesas Highway last year, said DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang today.

Lim said that the government should adhere to its announcement earlier this week that the cabinet would be discussing the report today, to be followed by a statement by Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also deputy prime minister.

"However, I do not know whether such a government statement would be forthcoming after the cabinet meeting today," said the former leader of the opposition.

On Aug 20, Suhakam released a 66-page report on the aborted 100,000 People's Gathering at Jalan Kebun in Klang, which resulted in chaotic scenes along the Kesas Highway.

The commission found the police guilty of using excessive force against the demonstrators as well as "cruel and inhuman" treatment of detainees.

The scathing report also suggested that it was possible the police had orchestrated an assault on a colleague to turn an otherwise peaceful gathering into a violent one.

The report also urged the police not to resort to violence when handling peaceful demonstrators and to be more lenient regarding the issuance of police permits for public gatherings.

According to Lim, there was no reason why the cabinet is discussing the report today as opposed to earlier since the document had already been circulated to various government authorities.

"Why has there been no proper and detailed government response to the inquiry report until now?" asked Lim.

"Was it necessary for the cabinet to approve the Home Affairs Ministry or the police response to the report?"

Government attacks

Suhakam came under severe criticism from government leaders, including Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, over the report.

Mahathir had accused the commission of being influenced by western thinking while other leaders claimed that the commission had not taken the police's version into account and that the human rights of police personnel at the scene were violated by the demonstrators.

The premier also defended the police crackdown on the participants, saying that the police in the west were worse, and cited the violence which erupted in Italy as an example.

To that, Lim said: "We agree that the police, like all sectors of the society, also enjoy human rights. But the government must spell out what the police rights which had been violated are.

"Abdullah should not delay (his response) any further and should come out with a full statement today. He should also specify and list out the police human rights that may have been violated."