Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) chairman Musa Hitam is expected to issue a statement on his controversial remarks that human rights and democracy should take a 'back seat' to national security concerns in wake of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks.

"I will be making statement on the issue," he told malaysiakini today. However, he refused to elaborate further as to when the statement would be made public.

Musa nevertheless added that he was happy with the responses prompted by his remarks, which was made during a TV3 employees union meeting last week.

He said that democracy and human rights issues should take a back seat for now to allow the government to deal with the threat of possible terrorist threats in the country after the Sept 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in United States.

Musa's stand on the issue was slammed by fellow human rights commissioner Mehrun Siraj, who said she was 'appalled' by his remarks.

Musa, however, clarified in an interview with malaysiakini on Wednesday that he had made the statement as former deputy prime minister and not as Suhakam chief.

"I had repeatedly stated in my speech that I was speaking from my perspective as a former deputy prime minister and that it was not the view of Suhakam," Musa said.

Resignation call

Opposition political parties also castigated him, with PAS president Fadzil Noor asking him to resign and DAP national chairman Lim Kit Siang saying that Musa had raised the wrong concerns.

Lim also said in a New Straits Times report today that he was seeking a meeting with the Suhakam chief to discuss the matter, but Musa has declined to comment on this.

The 12-member Suhakam has been under a great deal of pressure ever since the publication of various reports that accused the police of brutality, and that the right to public assemblies be respected by the authorities.

Suhakam has so far released three reports, eliciting responses from Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that Suhakam was too "westernised" and from his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, that the commission "was biased and idealistic".

Meanwhile, according to Bernama today, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad berated Opposition Leader Fadzil for asking Musa to quit his post in Suhakam.

According to Mahathir, the PAS leader should not conveniently pick and choose when to lend support to Musa.

"He used to back Musa and pledged to constantly back him when Musa's statement was in his favour," said Mahathir when asked to respond to Fadzil's statement yesterday.