The Human Rights Commission has announced Sept 9 this year as the first Malaysian Human Rights Day.

In its letter to the media and various organisations, the 16-month-old commission said the date was chosen to commemorate the gazetting of the commission two years ago.

To celebrate the occasion, Suhakam will hold a forum entitled 'Human rights for the disabled', a seminar for the media entitled 'Human rights and the media' as well as an exhibition on human rights during the week.

The two-day forum on human rights, to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 9, will be officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

When contacted, Suhakam secretary Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria said the theme for the public forum was chosen to reflect a non-political stance.

'Stinging' report

"Human rights is not just about political rights, it is also about social, economic and cultural rights," Kamaruddin said.

Meanwhile, the media seminar, entitled 'Human rights and the media', will be held at the commission's headquarters at the Menara Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 13.

Thirty senior journalists have been invited to attend the seminar, with speakers commissioners Anuar Zainal Abidin, former Indonesian attorney-general Marzuki Darusman and Attorney-General Ainum Mohd Saaid.

Panelists for the discussion are a representative from the Attorney-General's Chambers, commissioner Mehrun Siraj and The Sun associate editor Padmaja Padman.

Suhakam, which started operating in April 2000, has so far produced an annual report, a report on freedom of assembly and a stinging inquiry report on the aborted 100,000 People's Gathering last November which found that the police had violated human rights at the opposition-organised assembly.

The commissioners are appointed for a term of two years. The current commissioners' tenure will end next April.