Pertubuhan Rakyat Malaysia Menentang Hukuman Mati dan Penyeksaan (Madpet) berkata kegagalan pesuruhjaya menyiasat aduan secukupnya dan kemudian merujuk kepada Jabatan Perdana Menteri menimbulkan kebimbangan mengenai kebebasan Suhakam.
“Suhakam adalah institusi hak asasi manusia kebangsaan rakyat Malaysia dan ia mesti sentiasa bebas dan dilihat bebas, terutamanya daripada kerajaan.
“Dengan meminta bahagian di Jabatan Perdana Menteri menangani siasatan aduan yang dikemukakan kepada Suhakam, ia mungkin memberi tanggapan salah bahawa Suhakam dinaungi Jabatan Perdana Menteri.
“Dengan lapan pesuruhjaya, siasatan terhadap seorang rakan pesuruhjaya masih perlu dilakukan oleh Suhakam,” kata jurucakap Madpet, Charles Hector dalam satu kenyataan, semalam.
Dia merujuk kepada Seksyen 10 Akta Suhakam yang menyatakan bahawa mana-mana pesuruhjaya yang berkelakuan buruk atau berkelakuan sebagai mencemarkan nama baik suruhanjaya itu atau bercanggah dengan tugasnya sebagai sebab untuk hilang kelayakan dan penyingkiran daripada jawatan itu.
Dalam kes ini, katanya pesuruhjaya berkenaan gagal menjalankan tugas mereka untuk menyiasat aduan terhadap bekas ketua pesuruhjaya Suhakam itu.
Selain itu, pihak Madpet terkejut apabila Rahmat dilantik sebagai pengerusi lembaga penasihat Pusat Timbang Tara Antarabangsa Asia (AIAC) pada 23 Ogos lalu.
Rahmat meletakkan jawatannya sebagai pengerusi Suhakam berkuat kuasa 31 Ogos.
“Madpet berpendirian bahawa adalah salah bagi menteri atau kerajaan untuk melantik pesuruhjaya Suhakam yang sedang menjawat jawatan lain, mungkin yang mempunyai elaun, imbuhan atau kuasa. Ia berbeza jika pelantikan itu dibuat lama selepas dia berhenti menjadi pesuruhjaya, tetapi ia tidak berlaku di sini.
"Ini menjejaskan kebebasan Suhakam dan pesuruhjaya," tambah Hector.
Madpet juga meminta permohonan maaf dan penjelasan daripada Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Undang-undang dan Pembaharuan Institusi) Azalina Othman Said berhubung pelantikan Rahmat ke AIAC.
Tegas Hector,
kedudukan Rahmat dalam AIAC juga harus dibatalkan serta-merta untuk
mengesahkan pengakuan kerajaan bahawa Suhakam adalah sebuah institusi
yang benar-benar bebas.- Malaysiakini, 10/9/2023
See full statement/kenyataan penuh at:-
SUHAKAM Commissioners must resign or be removed for failure to investigate into complaint lodged against Chairman, and for later referral of the complaint to be dealt by the Prime Minister’s Department(MADPET)
Rights group Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (Madpet) said the commissioners’ failure to adequately investigate the complaints and later refer to the Prime Minister’s Department has caused concerns about Suhakam’s independence.
“Suhakam is Malaysia’s national human rights institution and it must always be independent and be seen to be independent, especially from the government.
“By asking a division in the Prime Minister’s Department to deal with the inquiry of a complaint submitted to Suhakam, it may give the wrong impression that Suhakam is under a division in the Prime Minister’s Department.
“With eight commissioners, the inquiry against even a fellow commissioner should still be done by Suhakam,” said Madpet spokesperson Charles Hector in a statement yesterday.
He was referring to Section 10 of the Suhakam Act which states that any commissioner who has misbehaved or conducted themselves in a manner to bring disrepute to the commission or in conflict with his duties as grounds for disqualification and removal from the position.
In this case, he said the commissioners failed in their duty to investigate the complaint against the former Suhakam chief commissioner.
Aside from that, Charles said Madpet is appalled that Rahmat has since been appointed as the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) advisory board chair on Aug 23.
Rahmat resigned from his position as Suhakam chairperson, effective Aug 31.
“Madpet is of the position that it is wrong for the minister or government to appoint a sitting Suhakam commissioner to another position, possibly one with allowances, remuneration, or powers.
“It is different if the appointment comes long after he ceases to be a commissioner but it is not the case here,” Hector said.
This affects the independence of Suhakam and the commissioners, he added.
Madpet also calls for an apology and explanation from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said over Rahmat’s appointment to the AIAC.
Rahmat’s position in the AIAC should also be immediately revoked in order to affirm the government’s acknowledgement that Suhakam is a truly independent institution, Hector said. - Malaysiakini, 10/9/2023
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