Hasnal urged to resign as Suhakam Commissioner

SHAH ALAM - CSO Platform for Reform insists that the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) needs to remain independent from politics to maintain the principles of accountability and respect for human rights.

The Platform for Reform CSO Steering Committee in a statement said, the appointment of a political leader in the commission raises serious questions about its independence and ability to function without external influence.

Pursuant to that, his party urged Hasnal Rezua Merican Habib Merican to resign as Suhakam Commissioner because he was elected as a Member of the Selangor State Assembly (DUN), seat N13 Kluang in the state election (PRN) next August.

"This commission must be free from any political and executive influence, especially since the party that Hasnal joined is part of the Malaysian government today.

"The potential for a conflict of interest raises deeper concerns," said the statement on Tuesday.

Sinar on Friday reported that Barisan Nasional (BN) announced that the party would only compete in 12 Selangor state assembly seats for the upcoming PRN.

He said, seven other seats in the state had been confirmed after holding negotiations and finalizing the distribution of seats with Pakatan Harapan (PH) thus nominating Hasnal as the Selayang Division UMNO Leader.

Therefore, CSO Platform for Reform stressed the need to re-examine the appointment of new commissioners made last year because political leaders should not be appointed to guarantee Suhakam's independence.

"This resignation is important to protect the independence and credibility of the commission and show its commitment to promotion including the protection of human rights," he said.