Key events in the history of Suhakam and human rights in Malaysia over the last decade

Sept 9, 1999: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999, Act 597 was passed and Suhakam was established.

April 24, 2000: Suhakam held its inaugural meeting, under the chairmanship of Tun Musa Hitam.

Nov 5, 2000: An opposition protest centred around the Kesas Highway in Selangor was brought to an abrupt end. A Suhakam inquiry later found the police guilty of using excessive force in dispersing the crowd.

Nov 20, 2000: Suhakam moved into its current headquarters at Menara Tun Razak, Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur.

March 13, 2001: Kampung Medan racial clashes result in deaths. A year later, resident V. Subramaniam unsuccessfully sued Suhakam, claiming that it breached its statutory duty by failing to initiate or conduct an inquiry into the incident.

April 24, 2002: Tun Musa Hitam stepped down as Suhakam chairman and was replaced by former Attorney-General Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman.

April 10, 2003: In an extensive report, Suhakam called for the government to repeal the Internal Security Act.

July 18, 2005: Masked thugs attacked the headquarters of the Sky Kingdom, a sect based in Besut, Terenganu. The government proceeded to arrest the sect members.

May 28, 2006: The Coalition to Protest Fuel Price Hike (PROTES) held a rally at KLCC that resulted in over 20 arrests and allegations of police brutality. Suhakam conducted a public inquiry and urged that peaceful assemblies should be allowed to proceed without a licence.

May 30, 2007: The Federal Court rejected the appeal of Lina Joy, effectively preventing her from leaving the Islamic faith, thus calling into question freedom of religion for Muslims in Malaysia.

Sep 8, 2007: Protests in Batu Buruk, Terengganu, resulted in police firing live bullets at protesters. Suhakam announced a public inquiry into the matter, but this was aborted when a number of protesters were charged in the Sessions Court.

Nov 10, 2007: A rally by the BERSIH coalition calling for free and fair elections resulted in the arrest of hundreds of protesters.

Nov 24, 2007: A rally by the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) resulted in police using tear gas and arresting its leaders under the ISA.

April 23, 2008: The International Co-ordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights threatened to downgrade Suhakam, criticising its lack of independence from the government.

May 27, 2008: Protests at the Bandar Mahkota Cheras Toll, KL, led to a public inquiry. Suhakam later found that there was excessive use of force by law enforcement personnel.

Jan 20, 2009: The death of suspected car thief A. Kugan while in police custody stoked public concern over the issue of police brutality.

July 16, 2009: The suspicious death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock while in the custody of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raised further concerns about human rights violations.