DAP to consider sending a delegation  to IPU Conference in Brussels in April to tell the world the truth about  Guan Eng’s case and his prison conditions if the  Malaysian IPU continues to exclude the  Opposition from its  overseas delegation

(Petaling Jaya, Saturday): The DAP will consider sending a delegation to the 101st Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Brussels from April 11-16, 1999 to tell the world the truth about the  case of  DAP Deputy Secretary-General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Guan Eng and his prison conditions if the Malaysian Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)  continues to exclude the Opposition from its overseas delegations.

The Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Brussels will debate the report of the  Inter-Parliamentary Union Fact-Finding Mission to Malaysia on Guan Eng’s case as well as the decision of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians in Geneva early this month which, among other things, urged the Malaysian authorities to:
 

• ensure Guan Eng’s attendance in the forthcoming Parliamentary meeting starting on April 5;
• grant full pardon to Guan Eng as he was "merely exercising his right to freedom of speech and his function of oversight of the Executive" when making the statements which resulted in his prosecution and jail sentence.

The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has also expressed its "shock" at the reports regarding Guan Eng’s conditions of imprisonment which "as reported, do not meet relevant international standards and amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment".

If the government disputes the conclusion of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, then I would suggest that the Director-General of Prisons, Datuk Omar Mohamad Dan should be directed to accompany the Malaysian IPU delegation to the Brussels Conference to convince the world community of Parliamentarians that Guan Eng’s prison conditions comply with relevant international standards and does not amount to "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment".

 (27/2/99)