The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has called for dialogues among religious leaders following the recent attacks on several churches and a surau in the Klang Valley and other parts of the country.

The government should provide mechanisms for such dialogues to take place, it said.

"Suhakam hopes that the leaders will refrain from making statements which could be perceived to condone activities detrimental to religious understanding and harmony in the country," it said in a statement.

It also strongly condemned any attacks on places of worship and hoped that investigations carried out by the police would be swift, fair and impartial so that the perpetrators would be charged without delay.

It said the police should ensure protection for Malaysians to practise their religions in safety because any intolerance of religious differences could undermine the fundamental right to freedom of religion as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.

Meanwhile, Bar Council president K.Ragunath also called on the government to play its role by promoting avenues for discussion, such as forums and muzakarah, which would enable an open exchange of views and foster greater understanding of differing viewpoints.

"Discourse on issues confronting the nation cannot take place only at official levels, behind closed doors, but must be inclusive and involve the public and those whose lives are affected by them," he said.

He said any assault against the Judiciary must not be tolerated, as the independence of the Judiciary, which is fundamental in a democracy, must be painstakingly preserved.

"Judges must not become targets for intimidatory tactics, we must all uphold and accord respect to judicial decisions. However, in some complex matters, a court decision may not produce the best solution as the powers of a court are limited," he added.

Ragunath said a court interpreted the law and applied the law to the facts of a particular case but certain issues required more and would be more effectively resolved outside of the courts, through healthy dialogue and constructive debate.

Date: 12 January 2010

Source: Bernama