Time is running out for the replacements of the outgoing Suhakam commissioners whose terms expire later this month, as secrecy surrounds the whole process.

According to the new amendment to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 2009, a commissioner can only serve a maximum of two terms, a total of six years.

Which means the commissioners serving the 2008-2010 term services will end on April 23 and they will have to replaced by then.

Currently Suhakam is made up of 16 members, however, the law allows a maximum of 20.

However, until today there has been no official announcement as to the nominations and how the selection process proceeds.

The law requires that the five member selection committee be headed by the Chief Secretary to the government, the incumbent Suhakam chairman and three other members of civil society appointed by the Prime Minister.

lim chee wee While the identities of the other members were not announced, it is learnt that they are Bar Council vice president Lim Chee Wee (left) , Director of NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women Malaysia Rafiah Salim and former Chief Judge of Malaya Haidar Mohamed Nor.

No comment

When contacted, members of the selection committee refused any comment or even admit that they are part of the committee.

Instead Malaysiakini was directed to the chief secretary and the legal's affair division of the prime minister's office but they are unavailable for comment.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) coordinator John Liu, had written to the government for the identity of the three committee members but there has no response so far.

Earlier in February, Suaram had also written to the chief secretary requesting a transparent and open selection process.

"We suggested that the nomination be open to the public and the selection process be revealed," he said.

He said that while it is good to have qualified people in the commission, it is also important to have strong laws to ensure a high standard of performance.

"For a commission to function well there should be qualified candidates, good laws and proper application of the laws," he explained.

However, he thinks that the amended law is a relative improvement but its application was flawed.

penan support group pc 011009 john liu John (right) said that the government had extended invitations to various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) to nominate a candidate each.

Unhappy campers

But, it is known that some NGOs such as Suaram, Amnesty International Malaysia and Tenaganita have chosen to snub the government as they are unhappy with the lack of transparency in the process.

Contrarywise, Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), Malaysian Bar Council, Empower and Association of Women Lawyers had nominated a candidate each.

One of the nominees, WAO executive director Ivy Josiah said that she hoped that there will be interviews and the selection criteria made public.

She concurred with Suaram's stand that the full list of nominees should be made public.