Press Statement for Immediate Release
SUHAKAM Annual Report 2024 – MPs Reaffirm Making the “Toothless Tiger” A Real
and Functioning Mechanism
SUHAKAM’s Annual Report 2024 (“SUHAKAM Report”) was tabled and debated in
Parliament on 7 July 2026. The publication of the 466-page report, featuring 10 thematic
areas, is an opportune moment to reflect on the state of human rights protection in Malaysia
and, more importantly, whether our national institutions are adequately equipped to fulfil their
constitutional and statutory mandates.
However, upon careful scrutiny of the SUHAKAM Report, the age-old adage regarding
SUHAKAM remains strikingly apparent—it continues to be a toothless tiger. Consequently,
despite its broad mandate, SUHAKAM remains largely dependent on persuasion,
recommendations and public advocacy. While its findings and recommendations carry
significant moral and institutional weight, they often lack the legal force necessary to secure
timely implementation or accountability.
In this regard, the CSO Platform for Reform emphasises that human rights institutions cannot
effectively protect rights if they are not empowered to act decisively when violations occur.
While the SUHAKAM Report reflects a year of significant activity, it also highlights a
fundamental limitation in the institution’s current role. Too much of the report reads like a report
card—detailing workshops conducted, seminars organised, memoranda submitted, media
engagements and outreach programmes. These activities are important and should not be
understated, but they are ultimately measures of effort rather than measures of impact, the
latter being the true yardstick of SUHAKAM’s effectiveness and success. We concur with the
proposal raised during the Parliamentary debate on 7 July 2026 to develop a mechanism
requiring the Government to report on the actions taken in response to SUHAKAM’s
recommendations.
Ultimately, a national human rights institution should be judged not by the number of events it
organises, but by its ability to significantly improve the protection of human rights. The public
should be able to see, from one annual report to the next, which recommendations were
accepted by the Government, which were rejected, what remedial action was taken following
investigations, whether public authorities complied with SUHAKAM’s findings, and what
measurable improvements resulted from its interventions.
The CSO Platform for Reform further takes the view that a more comprehensive SUHAKAM
Report would pave the way for more substantive Parliamentary debates in the future.
Further, whilst due commendation should be given to the MADANI Government for ensuring
that the SUHAKAM Report has remained a cornerstone of Parliamentary debate since it was
first debated in 2018, the timely preparation of the report and the scheduling of those debates
must also be prioritised. At the time of writing, Parliament is debating a report covering events
that took place in 2024. Since then, however, several significant human rights incidents have
occurred, including the Taiping Prison “Riot” (“Taiping Prison”) incident. Delayed
Parliamentary debates on pressing human rights issues represent missed opportunities to
improve human rights protection and risk rendering any later discussions obsolete.
Although the Taiping Prison incident was not featured in this edition of the SUHAKAM Report,
the present Parliamentary debate used the incident to highlight the importance of SUHAKAM’s
existing statutory powers to conduct inquiries in uncovering systemic human rights violations.
This underscores the urgent need not only to preserve but also to strengthen SUHAKAM’s
inquiry function. Following SUHAKAM’s Public Inquiry, which concluded on 15 December
2025, five prison officers were charged in court. However, it is worthwhile to note that the
prosecution of the alleged perpetrators merely addresses the symptoms of the problem. The
greater challenge of addressing the systemic root causes remains. Disturbingly, evidence of
those underlying issues is reflected in the SUHAKAM Report itself, which continues to
document allegations of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and custodial abuse,
demonstrating that these violations remain persistent concerns.
The problem, therefore, is not the absence of powers, but the lack of meaningful cooperation
and implementation. The Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) must abandon its culture of secrecy
and its routine, lacklustre responses to SUHAKAM’s findings. Greater transparency, timely
disclosure of information, and genuine engagement with SUHAKAM’s inquiries are essential
if accountability is to be achieved.
In light of the recent Parliamentary debates, and drawing parallels with the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC), which possesses extensive investigative powers, statutory
authority and dedicated resources, the CSO Platform for Reform urges the MADANI
Government to strengthen SUHAKAM through legislative reform by granting it enhanced
investigative and enforcement capabilities appropriate to its role as Malaysia’s National
Human Rights Commission, including (but not limited to):
enhanced statutory powers to compel the production of documents and information
during investigations;
● strengthened powers to conduct inspections of places of detention and other
institutions without unnecessary procedural obstacles;
● statutory obligations requiring public authorities to formally respond to SUHAKAM’s
findings and recommendations within prescribed timelines;
● the establishment of a separate and independent Children’s Commission to address
the growing range of issues affecting children;
● increased financial and operational independence to ensure investigations are
conducted free from external interference; and
● mechanisms enabling SUHAKAM, where appropriate, to initiate or participate in legal
proceedings involving significant human rights issues.
As Malaysia continues its institutional reform agenda, the strengthening of SUHAKAM should
be treated as a national priority. An independent, adequately resourced and properly
empowered National Human Rights Institution is not merely an international obligation under
the Paris Principles; it is an essential safeguard for the rule of law, good governance and the
protection of every person in Malaysia.
Accordingly, we call upon the MADANI Government, through the Office of the Minister of Law
and Institutional Reform and the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU), to commence a
comprehensive review of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999 with a view to
enhancing SUHAKAM’s powers, independence and effectiveness. While we recognise that
certain reforms will inevitably require legislative amendments and therefore time to be fully
realised, many long-overdue measures can and should be implemented immediately through
the exercise of existing ministerial and executive powers. The Government must not allow the
pace of reform to be dictated by unnecessary bureaucracy. Political will must translate into
decisive action. A stronger SUHAKAM will contribute to a stronger democracy, greater public
confidence in our institutions, and better protection of the fundamental liberties guaranteed
under the Federal Constitution
Released by,
Steering Committee of CSO Platform for Reform
Contact Persons:
Robert Hii
Chair of CSO Platform for Reform
[email protected]
Jerald Joseph
Co-Chair of CSO Platform for Reform
[email protected]
Jeremy Robeiro
Project Coordinator,
CSO Platform for Reform
[email protected]
Note:
CSO Platform for Reform, a coalition of 73 CSOs, working towards institutional reforms in
Malaysia.