Suhakam looking into possibility of amending Acts

0

Detta Samen

SIBU: Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakan) is relooking at its Acts to deal with more effectively and directly, among others, matters concerning native land and other issues dear to the people’s heart.

State’s Suhakam commissioner Detta Samen said that, if possible, it wanted to have more mandate to bring certain issues to court, particularly those of public interests.

“At the moment, the commission has limited scope especially with regards to enforcement in regards to native land issues.

“I do not know whether it is possible to amend the Act with the view to include the enforcement issues,” he said when met after the commission’s ‘National Inquiry into Land Rights of Indigenous/Original People’ roadshow here yesterday.

Its chairman, Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, officiated at the function which was held at the civic centre here.

Detta said Suhakam could not interfere with court proceedings.

“It could, however, make proposals with regards to the amendment of the Act, but, at the end of the day, it is not for the commission to decide.

“Will government and political will allow us to have broader power with regards to the Act? We are, nevertheless, looking into it,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Hasmy said since the formation of the commission 11 years ago, it had
received some 2,000 complaints on land issues nationwide.

“We expect more to be filed, especially on land encroachment issues. Suhakam has no power to solve specific problems. We can only hear, investigate and analyse with other institutions like the Bar Council.

“Then, we can come up with recommendations to the parliament and the respective state assemblies and then it is up to the government, relevant bodies and the court to find the solutions,” he said.

Sibu was the fourth location of the national inquiry roadshow yesterday.

National inquiry is a mechanism used to look into systemic human rights issues with a view to
solving it through efficient means.

It can adopt a broad-based human rights approach, enabling examination of a large situation and has a dual focus – fact finding and educational roles.

A total of 877 people have so far attended the function in Kuching, Serian, Betong and here.

Suhakam has received 13 complaints on native land issue during the road show in Kuching, 35 in Serian and 12 in Betong.

Detta said they expected to receive some 100 complaints from the roadshow statewide.

Compilation of the complaints from the roadshow will be completed by July next year.