An opposition leader today urged the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to launch a full public inquiry into the recent Petaling Jaya Selatan racial clashes which left several dead and scores injured.

DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang said Suhakam must not delay initiating the inquiry and must be mindful of the criticism that it has been 'selective' in addressing complaints and holding inquiries.

He said the commission had no qualms about launching an inquiry into the100,000 People's Gathering along the Kesas Highway which saw no fatalities but is hesitant to investigate the racial clashes where six people were killed and 78 others severely injured.

"It is not only inexplicable, unsatisfactory but a blot on the Suhakam record," he said in a press statement.

The People's Gathering was a mass street protest against the government last year and participants alleged that the police had acted brutally.

Following this, Suhakam launched an inquiry and in August released its report which found the police guilty of violating human rights.

'Greatest failure'

Lim also called on Suhakam's chairperson Musa Hitam to convene an urgent meeting to look into the Petaling Jaya Selatan clashes which erupted in early March.

"Otherwise, the first two-year term of Suhakam might be associated with its greatest failure rather than its greatest success," he said.

The Petaling Jaya Selatan incident represented the "quadruple failures" in nation-building, development planning, law enforcement and mass communications, he added.

"But, it is a greater tragedy that there has been a total lack of will to conduct a full and impartial investigation into the blatant and brutal violation of the human rights of a completely innocent, oppressed and marginalised (Indian) community to ensure that there would be no recurrence.

"Fair-minded Malaysians are both disappointed and distressed that some eight months after the tragedy, Suhakam has not decided whether or how to discharge its statutory duty with regard to this dark episode in the nation's history," he added.

Legal action

Suhakam was established last year under the Human Rights Commission Act 1999 with the statutory functions to protect and promote human rights in Malaysia.

The 12-member commission is empowered to hold public inquiries to investigate and verify the complaints into the allegations of human rights violations in the country.

Although the commission does not have any legal power to act against those found guilty of committing human rights violations, it could however make appropriate recommendations on the matter to Parliament.

Parti Reformasi Insan Malalysia (Prim) has also been consistently calling upon Suhakam to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Its pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar had given the commission an ultimatum of either launching an inquiry or face legal action.

However, Suhakam had said the matter is still being investigated and the commission has not decided whether to hold any public inquiry.