SHAH ALAM, 19 Oct: The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) is disappointed with the Central Government for denying an attack on the public and members of the media during the assembly in its report on fundamental rights to the United Nations (UN) recently.
Bersih steering committee member, Maria Chin Abdullah said the Central Government should be brave enough to admit their wrongs and be responsible for the violence against civilians in addition to working to improve human rights.
She also described the Central Government’s presentation of the report as ‘simple’ and empty because it did not touch on the issue of human rights comprehensively.
“We are disappointed because violence did happen during the assembly when the police beat up journalists and civilians who were peacefully assembling.
“If they want to send a report, the Government must take responsibility and admit if mistakes were made. We are disappointed because the Government promised many things but failed to carry them out,” she said when contacted by TVSelangor.
Maria said that she is disappointed because the Government did not mention the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into the violence that took place during the Bersih rally in its report.
She said the Government has always ignored suggestions or recommendations by Suhakam on this matter and considers it as something negative.
“The Government should examine Suhakam’s report and try to fix weaknesses raised about human rights because this independent body was set up in Parliament,” she added.
In its 21-page report submitted to the UN in July, ahead of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Malaysia in Geneva this Saturday, the government presented a rather clean image about the country’s human rights issues.
Despite mentioning the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into the violence that took place during Bersih, the government left out Suhakam’s findings and also the background behind the inquiry.
Malaysia will face peer nations in front of the HRC on 24 October, under the UPR that takes place once every four-and-a-half years.