The head of the government-backed Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) will step down April 24 when his two-year term expires, reports said today.

Musa Hitam, a former deputy prime minister, was quoted by New Straits Times as saying he had received a letter from Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar thanking him for his service.

"At any rate, I have from the beginning informed my colleagues in the government that I was not available for reappointment since I was a reluctant appointee," he said.

Musa said non-political issues brought to Suhakam's attention had met with more success than political issues.

"This will continue to be a challenge to Suhakam in the future. Political issues, being political, evoke so much emotion and partisan reactions," he said.

Suhakam would seek amendments to the Malaysian Human Rights Commission Act to ensure the body could function more effectively, he added.

Three others to go

The newspaper said three other Suhakam commissioners were expected to leave with Musa.

It quoted sources as saying that Suhakam, which is now an advisory body, may seek enforcement powers, changes to the structure of its set-up and a longer term of service for its members from two years now.

All Suhakam commissioners are hand-picked by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad but the body has in the past issued reports critical of Malaysia's human rights record.

Its inquiry into a November 2000 anti-government protest found police used excessive force against supporters of jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim and there was "cruel and inhuman" treatment of detainees.

In August, Suhakam called for greater freedoms of expression, including a British-style "Speakers' Corners" and an relaxing of police control on rallies.

But these reports have been dismissed by Mahathir, who said they ignored national security concerns.

Protest note

Meanwhile, local group Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia (Prim) submitted Saturday a protest note to Suhakam for refusing to conduct an inquiry into attacks on minority Indians that left six dead a year ago.

It accused Suhakam of "practising selective inquiries and double standards human rights."

Five Indians and an Indonesian were killed during four days of violence that broke out March 8 last year in a poor area west of Kuala Lumpur.

Prim said there were more than 100 innocent people injured in the attacks, which it claimed was carried out by "armed organised criminals" against the Indian community.

It reiterated its appeal for an inquiry amid claims that police did not properly protect Indians during the clashes. The largely Malay force has strongly denied showing any favouritism.