When the BN government set up our Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), many said "at last human rights have received due recognition in Malaysia... this is the beginning of a human rights respecting government." But events showed that the whole thing was a facade, another 'deception' of the Malaysian people.

Suhakam submitted three annual reports with recommendations but none of these have been debated in Parliament. Various other inquiries and reports with recommendations were made. Again the government has failed to take them up. Suhakam is in fact a toothless tiger in the fight for human rights.

Suhakam commissioners who were vigilant and vocal in the promotion of human rights were not re-appointed after their two-year term. For example, Mehrun Siraj and Annuar Zainal Abidin were in the forefront of Suhakam's inquiry into the Kesas Highway incident.

After criticising the police for their use of excessive force they were not re-appointed. Mehrun was also the person behind the Suhakam's report on the Rights of Remand Prisoners.

Even Musa Hitam (a former deputy prime minister), who many considered lukewarm anyway as far as human rights was concerned, was not re-appointed as a Suhakam commissioner.

His replacement, Abu Talib Othman, is a former attorney-general, whose involvement in the 1988 judiciary crisis and the 1987 Operation Lalang (where about 106 persons were detained under the Internal Security Act) makes him unsuitable to be a commissioner - let alone the chairman of Suhakam.

Come April 2004, the present two-year term comes to an end, and I predict that this time Prof Hamdan Adnan, who has been a pain-in-the-butt for his surprise inspection of lock-ups and places of detention will be dropped.

The formation of Suhakam was a whitewash. Commissioners with human rights credentials have been slowly purged. 'Yes-men' have been appointed who seem too scared to stand up for human rights. The BN government and the BN-dominated Parliament seems to have never had any intention of improving human rights in Malaysia.

Suhakam is supposed to be made up of non-partisan individuals whose only interest is human rights. But take a look at the commissioners now. Even the latest royal commission appointed to look into police practices, abuses and corruption has a token few credible persons.

Recent reports about the workings of this commission behind 'closed seem to indicate this again is yet another facade. Even if they come up with a good report and recommendations, the BN-led government will probably ignore it as with the Suhakam reports.

Our "new-broom" PM, Badawi, started his premiership with promises of change; the arrest of an aging prominent businessman and a senator minister for corruption gave the impression that there is going to be a cleaner and better Malaysia.

But when the nomination date and the election date was announced, making this the shortest period of campaigning in Malaysian election history, it contradicted all the assurances made by Badawi about 'change' and particularly the respect of human rights.

We all know that the main print media and electronic media do not give adequate space to the opposition parties to ventilate their views and positions, and it is primarily during the campaign period that they can let the people know their views and positions.

So this short campaign period is indeed a serious contradiction to the words and promises of our new headman of the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Badawi also had time to approve the change of name Parti Keadilan Rakyat but this was not done. Parti Socialist Malaysia registration could also be approved but this too was not done.

And also let us not forget that it was in Badawi's term as premiership that the police turned the water cannons on persons who went to Bukit Aman to hand over a memorandum of protest. About 17 of the NGO representatives were also arrested that day.

We must also not forget that Badawi has not made any mention about the infamous Kampung Medan incident that left about six dead and about 100 injured. Many, including the Malaysian Bar, have called for an inquiry.

So, all this talk about change and the concern about human rights is hogwash or as some say just part and parcel of empty election promises.