The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) will not issue any statement or make a stand o­n the alleged assault of two ISA detainees by Kamunting detention centre security personnel until it receives a reply from them.

Suhakam secretary Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria told malaysiakini today that he was still waiting for details of the May 9 incident from Kamunting officials.

Call for meeting

"The commission can o­nly decide what to do based o­n the authorities' response, regardless of whether the detention orders of the detainees are extended.

"We will call all parties concerned for a meeting if the need arises but until we hear from the other side, we cannot do anything," he added.

Kamaruddin said even if the complainants, Tian Chua and Hishamuddin Rais, are released upon the expiry of their two-year ISA detention o­n June 1, "we can still call them up" if the commission decided to probe later.

Kamunting camp commandant Abdul Basir Mohamad could not be reached for comments.

Various quarters have questioned Suhakam's silence over the assault despite receiving numerous complaints.

In the meantime, DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang criticised Suhakam for not responding to the countdown to the release of the six ISA detainees next month.

He said in a statement today that the commission's continued and "conspicuous" silence would be "a major blot" o­n its record of protecting and promoting human rights in the country.

"Suhakam should break its silence o­n the countdown," he said in a statement.

He also noted that in the past, the human rights watchdog had responded promptly in urging for the release of the reformasi activists several times in the past, including when they were first arrested.

Frank and truthful

"Is it backing down from its categorical and unequivocal stand of April 2001 calling for their immediate release or to charge them in court?"

Lim said there was no reason for any secrecy or mystery o­n the government's decision to release or further detain them.

"We want the government to be frank, truthful and transparent o­n a matter which vitally affects the status of human rights in Malaysia," he said.

He said Malaysia was again the subject of adverse comments in the latest Amnesty International 2003 annual report released yesterday.

"Whether the activists are restored their freedom o­n Sunday will be a test of whether Malaysia is ready to address the Malaysian malaise of being 'first world infrastructure, third world mentality'," said Lim, citing Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Danish MPs' call

Meanwhile, more than 40 members of parliament from Denmark, following the lead of their counterparts in Britain, Japan and the Netherlands, have petitioned Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to immediately release the detainees.

Human rights movement Suaram coordinator Yap Swee Seng said the 46 MPs expressed concern that the ISA violated the fundamental principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"They have called for the release of the detainees without conditions or prejudice," he said in a statement.

The Anti-ISA Movement has planned a talk o­n the ISA, among a series of events to mark the countdown, at the PAS office in Selayang at 9pm. Initially, the venue for the talk was the Selangor Keadilan office.