Suhakam in danger of downgrade

KUALA LUMPUR: Suhakam, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission, risks an imminent international downgrade unless the Government acts immediately to amend the body’s founding laws and make it more independent. Suhakam had recently been asked to explain in writing within a year why it should not be downgraded from Grade A to Grade B. The downgrading, non-governmental organisations said, would be a slap in the face for Malaysia and Suhakam, which is hosting a four-day Asia-Pacific Forum on National Human Rights Institutions (APF) beginning tomorrow. If downgraded, Suhakam loses its right to participate in United Nations Human Rights Council sessions. It would also be stripped of its full membership in APF and be relegated to a non-voting member. “It will also make a mockery of Malaysia’s 2006 pledge to the UN that it will continue... [read full story]