The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) will be acting on several outstanding issues starting with an inquiry into the conditions of detention of six opposition members under the Internal Security Act.

This was decided during the commission's second meeting held on Monday, according to Prof Mohd Hamdan Adnan, chairperson of Suhakam's Complaints and Inquiries Working Group.

According to Hamdan yesterday, the inquiry will be launched once deputy chairperson Harun Hashim, who is also a member of the working group, returns to Malaysia from abroad.

However, it is uncertain when Harun, who is said to be performing his umrah , will be returning.

The other members of the group are Simon Sipaun, Dr Mohd Hirman Ritom Abdullah Dr Abdul Monir Yaacob, Dr Raj Abdul Karim and Zainah Anwar.

Suhakam first announced plans to delve into the complaints raised by the six ISA detainees at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Taiping, Perak, on April 17 but did not set a date for the commencement of the inquiry.

The six are Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Saari Sungib, Lokman Noor Adam, Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Dr Badrulamin Bahron and malaysiakini columnist-cum-filmmaker Hishamuddin Rais.

Native Customary Rights report

Meanwhile, another Suhakam commissioner, Prof Chiam Heng Keng, said Suhakam is in the process of finalising its report on the Sarawak Native Customary Rights issue involving land rights of the state's Orang Asli communities.

The Native Rights inquiry was headed by former Suhakam commissioner Dr Salleh Mohd Nor and conducted with Chiam, commissioner Hirman and head assistant secretary of the Investigation Department, Mohd Nasir Abdul Hadi.

Chiam said the report, which could be released as early as next week, will include details of the investigation team's visits to Sarawak as well as recommendations.

Asked if the report is expected to be controversial, Chiam said, "We do not want to say that. We would like the report to be seen as what should be done in terms of human rights."

She added that the report is not intended to be pro-government nor anti-government.

Though Suhakam's work plan for the next two years has yet to be announced officially to the public, it is believed that the new team of commissioners have formulated the plan during Monday's meeting at its Kuala Lumpur headquarters.