The much-awaited annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has not been tabled in Parliament although it is a month overdue.

Under the act, the commission is required to submit its annual report not later than the first meeting of Parliament of the following year. The first Parliament meeting this year was held from March 21 to April 28.

Contacted today, Suhakam secretary Ahmad Yusuf Ngah said the commission has submitted its 2004 annual report to the Parliament's secretariat on April 6 but he was uncertain why the report was not tabled in the House.

"As far as we are concerned, we have fulfilled our obligation under the act to submit the annual report during the first meeting of Parliament this year," he told malaysiakini.

He added that a copy of the report was also sent to the deputy prime minister's office which oversees Suhakam.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz who oversees parliamentary affairs and Parliament's secretary Abdullah Abdul Wahab could not be reached for comment despite numerous attempts.

Kit Siang wants answer

In a public forum in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang questioned why the Suhakam annual report has not been tabled in the House so far.

He raised the issue while commenting on the likelihood of Parliament to debate the newly-released Royal Police Commission's report which contained 125 recommendations to improve the police force.

In the past, opposition parliamentarians had tried in vain to debate the Suhakam annual reports although the commission, formed in 1999, is a statutory body.