"WE ARE JUST DOING OUR JOB", SAYS SARAWAK SUHAKAM COMMISSIONER

KUCHING, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has dismissed the allegation that it is trying to masquerade as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) as alleged by Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Suhakam Sarawak Commissioner Dr Mohd Hirman Ritom Abdullah said Suhakam had been given the mandate by parliament and the government to promote as well as protect human rights or related issues and it was within their right to act or speak on behalf of those people or communities who felt that their right had been violated by others.

"It is not fair to make that suggestion because what we are doing have nothing to do with politics. We are trying to voice out the concern of those who come to us and want their needs or demand to be addressed by the relevant authorities," he told Bernama here today.

Dr Hirman said for example the Penan issue should be tackled diligently as it involved genuine human rights such as accessibility to infrastructure, land and education so that necessary action could be taken.

He also denied that Suhakam had made any statement referring to the extinction of the Orang Utan in Sarawak.

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SUHAKAM-TAIB 2 (LAST) KUCHING

Taib was quoted by an English daily today that he was unhappy with Suhakam as well as local NGOs over the Penan community and environmental issues.

Making his remark at the sixth anniversary of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), Taib even suggested that Suhakam registered itself as a political party since Suhakam "which is supposed to fight for human rights, has talked much about the Penan and environmental issues, and even on the orang utan."

Suhakam recently released a report on the Penan community in Belaga being affected by the construction of the Murum dam.

-- BERNAMA

RDY AO