Foreign Affairs Minister Syed Hamid Albar (photo) should explain why he has not tabled a report for discussion by MPs o­n detention conditions under the Internal Security Act (ISA), said DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang.

When the report, prepared by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), was released o­n March 10, vice-chairperson Harun Hashim had expressed hope that it would be debated in Parliament.

Debate not scheduled

Lim said the Dewan Rakyat has met for two-thirds of its current 18-day sitting but that "there are no signs of the tabling of the report, let alone a schedule for parliamentary debate".

"Syed Hamid should be censured if he is responsible for holding up the report (and preventing it) from being tabled before the current proceeding ends o­n April 8," Lim said in a statement.

"Parliament had failed over the past two years to monitor and oversee Suhakam to assess if the commission has discharged its statutory responsibility to protect and promote human rights by debating four Suhakam reports completed thus far."

The four reports were Suhakam's annual report for 2000 (released in April 2001), its public inquiry into the Kesas Highway incident o­n Nov 5, 2000 (released in August 2001), its report o­n freedom of assembly submitted to Parliament in October 2001 and the 2001 annual report (released in April 2002).

Government position

The foreign affairs ministry, which oversees Suhakam, had criticised the commission in 2001 when then chairperson Musa Hitam submitted the first annual report to Parliament without going through the ministry.

Syed Hamid had said the commission must submit the report through his ministry.

Lim said that, when the ISA report is tabled in Parliament, it would be important for acting Prime Minister and Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to respond by stating the government's position o­n the 18 recommendations in the report.

"The government should, in particular, state whether it is prepared to accept Suhakam's recommendations that police should at all times exercise utmost care in ensuing that the right to liberty is not violated without due justification," he said.

Other recommendations included reminders that individuals should not be detained under the ISA without genuine reasons and that disciplinary action should be taken against police officers involved in mistreating detainees.