Suhakam to meet Perak govt over monastery demolition dispute

IPOH: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) will meet the Perak government over alleged human rights violations linked to a threat to demolish the Sakyamuni Cave Monastery in Gunung Kanthan here for quarrying activities.

Suhakam commissioner Abdul Kadir Jailani Ismail said the move followed a memorandum submitted by the monastery's monks on Aug 27, alleging restricted access and intimidation, including surveillance by drones.

He said the meeting with the state government would take place after Suhakam completed a comprehensive report based on findings and feedback from eight agencies involved in the dispute.

"Suhakam is mandated to provide views and advice to state governments on human rights issues. We also have the authority to conduct monitoring.

"We will examine the problems, the actions taken by the relevant agencies, the underlying causes and possible solutions.

"Following discussions at our monthly meeting, we will determine the main issues and whether there have been actual human rights violations. The next step is to engage with the Perak government," he said after visiting the monastery yesterday.

Also present were the monastery's head monk, Bhante Kusala; its lawyer, Leong Cheok Keng; and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) field researcher Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman.

The dispute involves the approximately 100-year-old Buddhist monastery and a cement company, with issues including land rights, eviction, freedom of religion and environmental conservation.

Abdul Kadir said the visit was intended to give Suhakam a clearer understanding of the situation, particularly the alleged human rights violations outlined in the memorandum.

He said Suhakam, as a commission established under parliament, was responsible for looking into complaints involving human rights and referring relevant matters to the appropriate agencies for further action.

Meanwhile, Kusala alleged that the rights of the monastery's residents and visitors had been violated through restrictions on their movements, including having to register every time they entered or left the premises.

He also claimed their privacy had been compromised by the use of drones to monitor their movements.

Kusala described the restrictions as arbitrary detention, saying they had been imposed before the court had reached a final decision, with an appeal still pending at the Court of Appeal and an application to stay the execution of the court's decision awaiting hearing.

"In June, they placed concrete barriers at the monastery's main entrance, preventing members of the public from entering.

"Our movements are constantly monitored, as though they are trying to pressure us into leaving.

"On the worst days, drones are flown at very low altitudes up to three times a day to monitor and track our movements within the monastery," he said.