Suhakam to refer complaints against chairperson to Putrajaya

Editor's note: This article has been amended to include that Suhakam will also be proposing a probe into complaints about its "internal activities".

Suhakam will refer, among others, the complaint of alleged racial discrimination and power abuse levelled against its chairperson Rahmat Mohamad, to the Prime Minister's Department's Legal Affairs Division.

It will also refer the complaints from NGOs about the commission's "internal activities".

In a statement, the human rights commission said it was to ensure that the investigation into the matter will be done in a transparent and independent manner.

"It is imperative to address these allegations by conducting an inquiry undertaken by an independent body.

"Therefore, the commission decided to refer this matter to the Prime Minister's Department Legal Affairs Division for advice and direction to ensure the inquiry remains transparent and independent.

"We stand by our commitment to ensure an independent inquiry shall be conducted to preserve the trust and confidence of the public," it said.

Suhakam's statement came amid mounting pressure from civil society organisations, who urged the commission to ensure an independent investigation is carried out into the complaints against Rahmat.

Suhakam and Rahmat recently came under fire over a lawsuit that Rahmat filed against the commission’s deputy secretary Shahizad Sulaiman after he lodged a complaint, accusing Rahmat of racial discrimination and abuse of power.

The commission later announced that the lawsuit had been withdrawn.

Some NGOs also slammed Suhakam recently for being “quiet”.

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