Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (Madpet) said there is a need for commissioners who do not fear accusing the government of human rights violations as and when appropriate.

“We have a sitting Suhakam commissioner, who stood for elections as a candidate of a government party and was rejected by the people, yet he is still a Suhakam commissioner,” Madpet said in a statement today, referring to Hasnal’s candidacy for the Kuang seat in last year’s state elections.

Madpet said even government employees resign from their positions first before contesting in any elections.

“At the time, Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he had reviewed Hasnal’s nomination with lawyers.

“Now, there will be no more confusion, after Parliament made it most clear that persons actively involved in party politics should not be a human rights commissioner,” it said after the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Amendment) Act 2024 was written into law last week.

Madpet said there is no more justification for politically affiliated Suhakam commissioners to remain in their post.

Last year, Hasnal insisted that there was no need for him to step down from his post as a Suhakam commissioner after being named Barisan Nasional’s candidate for Kuang in Selangor.

Speaking to FMT, the Selayang Umno chief questioned those making such calls and their claims that it could lead to political interference.

He also asked his critics to examine his track record since assuming his post at Suhakam in July 2022.

Hasnal said the matter had been blown out of proportion since his appointment and called on his critics to refer to Section 5(3) of the Suhakam Act 1999, which states that commission members must come from diverse religious, political and human rights backgrounds.