The government must give respect and weight to recommendations made by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), failing which it should just close down the organisation, said a DAP leader today.

"The cabinet should make a policy decision on whether it is serious in respecting Suhakam's roles and functions. It should respect Suhakam's statutory functions and powers ... implement its recommendations or state why it could not do so," said DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang.

"Otherwise, it might just as well close down Suhakam."

He added that it was obvious the authorities were not intending to adhere to any of the recommendations made by Suhakam on freedom of assembly.

Suhakam released its landmark report on freedom of assembly on Aug 3, recommending, among others, a change in the mindset among politicians to accept such assemblies, and a change in the attitude of the police in allowing such gatherings.

Suhakam said that the prevailing thinking among the politicians was that "assemblies are intrinsically dangerous and liable to become a threat to national security or public order".

Not in permit

"Such ridiculous mindset was vividly illustrated not only by the overwhelming police presence but also the unreasonable police restrictions imposed on the Bukit Bruang DAP branch anniversary dinner in Melaka on Saturday night," concurred Lim.

He was referring to how he was stopped by police from making a speech at the gathering of more than 600 DAP members and supporters on the grounds that no political speeches were allowed in the permit granted for the anniversary dinner.

Lim said that the dinner anniversary was not dangerous and would not have caused a 'national threat'.

"Something is very wrong with democracy and the government ... where fundamental rights of citizens to freedom of assembly and expression are reduced to the right to assemble to eat collectively but not to talk," said Lim.

He added that the police had made themselves a laughing stock by squandering public resources to man roadblocks and maintain excessive police presence at peaceful opposition gatherings, instead of utilising them for more urgent tasks such as controlling crime.

Lim also queried as to what steps the government had taken into the recommendations proposed by Suhakam in its first annual report which was submitted in April.

"Have the authorities considered the recommendations or are they just regarded as so much noise by busybodies, which do not merit any attention?"

Receiving end

Suhakam's report on freedom of assembly came under intense criticism from the government with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad criticising the commission for ignoring issues of national security in its report.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim also joined the fray when he said the body should not "suggest that people should be holding assemblies or should be doing things which in its (Suhakam) opinion should be the order of the day".

Commissioner Mehrun Siraj, who was involved in preparing the freedom to assemble report, retorted by asking the government to allow Suhakam to perform its duties without hindrance or shut it down.

"If you take the trouble to set up the commission, the commissioners must be allowed to do their work. But if you don't want the commission to do its job then you might as well close down Suhakam," she said.