The appointment of former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman as the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) chairperson will turn the body into a toothless and meaningless entity, said Aliran today.
Malaysians can be sure that the intended changes to Suhakam are not mindless changes planned by the Barisan Nasional government for the mere sake of change.
They are perverse changes intended to make Suhakam toothless and meaningless, said the social reform movement in a statement.
Aliran was reacting to a New Straits Times report last Friday which said Abu Talib was tipped to succeed Musa Hitam as the next Suhakam chairperson.
The daily added that Abu Talib played an instrumental role in the Royal Commission of Inquiry responsible for indicting former police chief Rahim Noor in his assault of ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
According to the report, others in the race, include former Treasury Department secretary-general Ramon Navaratnam, retired National Population and Family Development board director Dr Raj Abdul Karim and the first woman director-general of the Education Ministry, Asiah Abu Samah.
Not fit
Meanwhile, Aliran said Abu Talib was not fit to become the next chairperson as he had allegedly tampered with evidence during the 1990 sex tape scandal of former member of Parliament DP Vijandran.
In 1990 we demanded for Abu Talibs resignation. Why? Simply it was none other than attorney-general Abu Talib Othman who ordered the police to destroy 11 video tapes and four envelopes containing countless photographs and negatives critical evidence in the Vijandran sex tapes case.
Can Abu Talib be said to have done anything more than to give an official gloss to the BN governments unwilling sacrifice of Rahim in view of the overwhelming public anger over the scandalous incident? Aliran said.
Adding another blemish, Aliran said he was also responsible for impeaching the former Lord President of the Supreme Court, Salleh Abas, in the late 80s, dealing a blow to the independence of the judiciary.
Now, how does a former attorney-general who helped Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad wreak havoc on the integrity of the judiciary suddenly metamorphose into a stout defender of human rights? Aliran asked.
Ulterior motives
Meanwhile Aliran stated that the efforts to discontinue the services of present commissioners Anuar Zainal Abidin and Mehrun Siraj were caused by ulterior motives.
Both were instrumental in the Nov 5 2000 report on the Kesas Highway 100,000 Peoples Gathering which accused the police of gross human rights violations.
With courage and honesty, Mehrun and Anuar demonstrated their commitment to the protection of human rights and civil liberties in this nation by standing in the forefront of Suhakams inquiry into the Kesas highway incident.
If the BN is serious about letting Suhakam carry out its work without hindrance, why would the BN government drop these two commissioners whom the public respects? queried Aliran.
Mehrun currently serves as a law lecturer at the University of Malaya, while Anuar served as former Chief Judge of the High Courts of Malaya and was also on the inquiry on Anwars assault.
Other commissioners to be dropped, include president of the Malaysian Nature Society Dr Salleh Mohd Noor and former Court of Appeals judge Mahadev Shanker.
The commission was created by the Suhakam Act 1999 and began operations in April 2000.
Commissioners serve for a two-year term and the human rights body may accommodate up to 20 commissioners.
