Tue, November 17, 2009 - PETALING JAYA: Suhakam is neither an non-governmental organisation (NGO) nor is it a political party, says Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Khim.

Dr Khoo, who is also a Suhakam commissioner, said the body was set up by the Government under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999 to look into issues dealing with human rights.

“It is not a political party and neither is it an NGO. Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is probably ignorant since he thought Suhakam was an NGO.

“He is wrong,” he said yesterday in response to the allegation by Taib that the commission was disguising itself as an NGO and should register itself as a political party if it was unhappy with the state authorities’ treatment of the Penan people and the environment.

He added that Malaysia was a member of the United Nations, whose Paris Principles re­­quired national human rights institutions to monitor violations of human rights and to advise the Government and other competent bodies.

“Suhakam will continue to pay attention to human rights issues in the country.

“There is no need to change the way it handles certain issues but perhaps there is still a need to explain to the public about us,” Dr Khoo said.

On Sunday, Suhakam Sarawak commissioner Dr Mohd Hirman Ritom Abdullah also refuted Taib’s claims and clarified that the commission had been given a mandate by Parliament to promote and protect human rights.