An international human rights watchdog today cast doubts on the effectiveness of the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) in its annual internationally-distributed World Report.

"The appointment of a Human Rights Commission held out the promise of greater government attention to human rights, but the extent of its power and effectiveness remains in question," stated the Malaysian chapter of[#1] Human Rights Watch[/#] (HRW) World Report 2001.

HRW is an international human rights group founded in 1978 and with offices in New York City, Brussels, London, Washington DC and Los Angeles.

The report also detailed human rights situations in countries all around the world. The report was released yesterday in New York in conjunction with World Human Rights Day on Dec 10.

In its observations on Malaysia, the report noted several infringements on human rights. These included police brutality and victimisation of opposition supporters.

The report noted that Malaysian non-governmental organisations (NGO) were critical of Suhakam for "its limited scope".

"Malaysian NGOs have criticised the limited scope of rights falling under the commission's jurisdiction and its lack of powers," the report stated.

Police brutality

The report also highlighted the fact that the first complaints received by Suhakam since its inception in April this year, had been complaints on police brutality.

"The commission began receiving complaints in April, primarily of police abuse. It met with representatives of non-governmental organisations in May and with members of the police in June."

The report stated how the commission's chairperson Musa Hitam publicly acknowledged the public's right to assemble and Suhakam later sent in commission members to observe the public gathering on Aug 8, the day judgment was passed on former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim for committing the crime of sodomy.

The report also highlighted police actions in breaking up a peaceful opposition assembly. Among the gatherings highlighted was the one on March 11 at the National Mosque to protest against the government's action in reducing circulation of opposition party PAS' newsletter Harakah.

"Seven people, including prominent human rights lawyer Sivarasa Rasiah, opposition supporters, and journalists, were arrested for illegal assembly.

"On March 25, the government banned public rallies in the capital for an indefinite period. The ban applied to outdoor gatherings in Kuala Lumpur for an indefinite period," the report stated.

Opposition supporters, faced "vengeance" from the ruling Umno government in Melaka as, "doctors, lawyers, architects, contractors, and other professionals who were opposition party members were blacklisted," according to the report.

Refugees were given prominence in the report as well, citing the example of Burmese refugee Mohamad Sayed who in October 1999 was arrested and put in a detention camp.

"Malaysia continued its policy of detaining and expelling persons recognised as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and continued to deny UNHCR permission to visit immigration detention camps where refugees were detained," the report said.