UALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Suara
Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) said the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam)
should intervene in the government’s continued harassment of the
non-government organisation’s (NGO) parent company, Suara Inisiatif Sdn
Bhd.
In their statement forwarded to the media, Suaram said that they had
been continually persecuted by the government and its agencies since
July 2012.
“The government has to realise that criticisms from critical
organisations, like SUARAM and other organisations, are important and
shall be welcomed and viewed as an added advantage for the government to
understand the needs of the people.
“Undue harassment to silent these voices must be avoided at all costs,” it said.
Suaram asked, among other things, that the commission take a stand on
the Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism, Ismail
Sabri Yaakob’s (picture) overreaching powers in
interrupting and influencing investigations by the Companies Commission
of Malaysia (CCM) and to acknowledge the normalcy of foreign funding to
organisations in Malaysia.
“Suaram is gravely concerned on the overreaching powers displayed the
Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism, Ismail Sabri
Yaakob in interfering and influencing the on-going CCM investigation on
Suaram,” it said.
Suaram added that it was looking for a “favourable response” from Suhakam.
Earlier this week, the minister said during a press conference that
the CCM would only charge Suaram’s holding company, Suara Inisiatif,
while further action against the NGO will be the responsibility of other
agencies which have their own jurisdictions.
“CCM is only planning to charge Suara Inisiatif and not Suaram.
“Other agencies, such as Bank Negara, the Registrar of Societies, the
Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission and others, will take
further action against Suaram because that is in their jurisdiction,”
Ismail Sabri said.
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