Open invitation to Speaker Tun Zahir to Round Table Conference on Suhakam Report 2001 to explain why he rejected urgent motion to debate Suhakam Report when he could approve urgent motion to debate issue of non-Malay quota for Mara colleges

(Petaling Jaya,  Saturday):  I am still waiting for a satisfactory answer from the  Parliament Speaker, Tun Mohamad Zahir Ismail as to why  he rejected the urgent motion of the DAP MP for Tanjong, Chow Kon Yeow to debate the Suhakam Annual Report 2001 tabled on Monday when he could approve  the urgent motion of the PAS MP for Pokok Sena, Mahfuz Omar to debate the issue of quota for non-Malays in matriculation courses in Mara college.  

Although under the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders, the Speaker’s ruling cannot be questioned or challenged by any MP in the House, Zahir should realize that in the 21^st century of openness, transparency and good governance, he owes a duty to explain to the Malaysian citizenry the reasons  for his decision, especially when it is seen to be arbitrary and completely indefensible.

I am sure that all human rights activists would want to know why Zahir had rejected Chow’s urgent motion to debate the Suhakam Report 2001, especially as Parliament had last year committed the gross dereliction of duty in failing to provide strong back-up to Suhakam in the protection and promotion of human rights by mainstreaming human rights issues in Parliament and giving serious consideration to the Suhakam reports and recommendations.

For this reason, I am issuing an open invitation to Zahir to the “Round Table Conference on Suhakam Report 2001 – Human Rights or Wrongs” in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow  to personally  explain why he rejected the urgent motion to debate Suhakam Report when he could approve urgent motion to debate the  issue of non-Malay quota for Mara colleges. If Zahir cannot make it, any one of the two Deputy Speakers is welcome to explain his decision to the Round Table Conference and the Malaysian public.

The Speaker’s presence at the Round Table Conference will be particularly useful as Malaysians, in particular the human rights  NGO community and the civil society, would also like to know why the Speaker is so  unconcerned about the  repeated failure of  Parliament to discharge its “oversight” responsibilities over Suhakam to mainstream human rights issues in the country by having a special debate on the latest Suhakam annual report.  

Among the panelists at the Round Table Conference on Suhakam annual report 2001 to be held at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (upstairs)  tomorrow, Sunday, 23^rd June 2002 (10 am – 1 pm)  are:  

1. HAKAM President, Ramdas Tikamdas;
2. Former Bar Council Chairman and HAKAM President, Raja Aziz Addruse; 
3. Former Bar Council Chairman, Zainur Zakaria;
4. Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) coordinator, Collin Nicholas;
5. SUARAM Executive Director, Cynthia Gabriel;
6. Women NGOs representative, Irene Xavier;
7. Concerned Citizen Group Coordinator, Charles Santiago;
8. Malaysiakini Chief Editor, Steven Gan;
9. Suara Warga Pertiwi representative, Dr Nasir Hashim;
10. Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Secretary-General, G.Rajasekaran.  

Invitation to MPs from all political parties to the Round Table Conference was extended by the DAP MP for Tanjong, Chow Kon Yeow on Thursday, and leaders of all political parties, whether Barisan Nasional or Barisan Alternative, are also welcome to the Round Table Conference.

(22/6/2002)