Klang MP Charles Santiago said political appointments would water down the public’s trust in Suhakam.
“I’m not against politicians becoming commissioners, but they must at least have a record of commitment on human rights issues,” he said.
“Political party operatives would carry certain biases and you would not want to go against your boss. What kind of judgments would they make?”
He urged Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to rescind the appointments of those who were politically active and replace them with people who were neutral.
Santiago suggested that former law professor Shad Saleem Faruqi be made the chairman instead of UiTM professor Rahmat Mohamad, the new Suhakam chief commissioner.
“Shad is also a law lecturer. Look at the way he speaks about human rights. He should lead Suhakam. He understands the law, the country, and he has spoken out continuously on various issues from a legal standpoint,” he said.
Besides Rahman, six other people have been appointed to Suhakam for a three-year term. Among them is Noor Aziah Mohd Awal, reappointed after becoming Suhakam’s first child commissioner in 2019.
The other six are former Malaysian Bar president Ragunath Kesavan; former director-general of Jakim, Nordin Ibrahim; anesthesiologist Dr Chew Chee Ming, a member of the Malaysian Medical Council; former Sabah attorney-general Mary @ Mariati Robert; lawyer Hasnal Rezua Merican Habib Merican, a former legal adviser to Barisan Nasional; and lawyer Nazira Abdul Rahim, a director of Universiti Utara Malaysia.
Chew and Mariati represent Sarawak and Sabah respectively, while Hasnal and Nazira are reported to be active in Umno.
Former diplomat Noor Farida Ariffin said the appointment of those with political and religious links would be a disaster for Suhakam, which would no longer be seen as a body which upholds human rights for Malaysians.
Political analyst Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said the new commissioners should be given a chance to prove themselves.
“Theoretically, human rights issues cut across party lines. So, in this case, if a member is politically linked, it should not be a hindrance.
“Let’s give the new members a chance, even though we don’t know how deep they have been involved in human rights activities. If they can perform brilliantly and be non-partisan, that should be okay,” he said.
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