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| Hasmy Agam, Chairperson 2010 - 2016 |
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| Razali Ismail, Chairperson(2016-2019) |
Now, SUHAKAM gets RM12 million - but that is still not enough as reasonably, SUHAKAM should have offices in every State so the people can have easier access to SUHAKAM...note that every complaint will also have to be investigated...In 2015, the Barisan Nasional administration slashed Suhakam’s budget for 2016 from around RM10 million to just RM5.5 million
“We have 82 staff, eight commissioners and three offices in Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Sarawak who conduct many activities and we need roughly RM16 million,” he told the press after the launching Suhakam’s annual report here....for last year’s budget, we got RM10 million as well. But after meeting Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, he added an additional RM2 million. - Malay Mail, 19/4/2019
It may also be best to amend the law, to ensure that term of office of HR Commissioners shall continue until the next batch of Commissioners take over. In this way, we will not be faced with a stituation where there are NO HR COMMISSIONERS. This is something that the government should seriously consider. But, always best is that there be NO gaps - that incoming Chairpersons and Commissioners are already selected and will be appointed on the day after the previous batch ends its term in office.
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia has been without a chairman and commissioners for over a month now.
PETALING JAYA: A civil society group has urged the government to fill
the vacancies in the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam)
without further delay following the expiration of term of its previous
commissioners more than a month ago.
Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together chairman M
Visvanathan said the gap between appointments reflects badly on the
Pakatan Harapan (PH) government and its efforts to prove that it takes
human rights issues seriously.
“It does not instil confidence in the people, especially when there
are no commissioners around to receive and investigate public
complaints,” he told FMT.
In fact, he added, just two weeks ago, only the Suhakam executive
secretary had been present to receive a complaint from a 30-year-old man
who claimed he was tortured during an investigation at the Sentul
police headquarters last month.
Suhakam was established by Parliament under the Human Rights
Commission of Malaysia Act 1999, with a mandate to protect, promote and
monitor human rights in Malaysia.
Under the Suhakam Act, a selection committee chaired by the chief
secretary submits a list of candidates for the prime minister to
consider and recommend to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
In its manifesto, PH said Suhakam commissioners would be appointed through a parliamentary committee.
The previous Suhakam chairman, Razali Ismail, resigned from office on
April 16, almost two weeks before the end of his term on April 27.
Others whose terms lapsed were Loke Yim Pheng, Mah Weng Kwai, Aishah
Bidin, Salida Suhaila Nik Salleh, Francis Johen, Godfrey Gregory Joitol
and Jerald Joseph.
Commissioners’ terms run for three years. The last round of appointments was made in July 2016 and backdated to April that year.
At that point, Suhakam had been without a chairman and commissioners
for 58 days. A similar situation in 2013 saw a delay in appointment of
38 days.
Visvanathan, who is also a lawyer, said the lack of new appointments had put Suhakam in limbo.
He added that PH appeared to be following in the steps of the
previous Barisan Nasional government in only appointing Suhakam members
after a gap in time. - FMT, 29/5/2019
Press Statements issued by SUHAKAM in 2019
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