Six reformasi activists who are being held under the Internal Security Act, are boycotting the Malaysian Human Rights Commission's inquiry into the security law, which started today.

Lawyer for the six, Latheefa Koya, who met them this morning at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak where they are being detained, conveyed their wishes to the three-member inquiry panel of Suhakam commissioners.

Yesterday, the six had expressed their concern and disappointment that the three-day inquiry was limited to detention conditions at the centre.

Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, party Youth leader Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, party leaders Saari Sungib, Dr Badrulamin Bahron, Lokman Noor Adam and malaysiakini columnist-cum-filmmaker Hishamuddin Rais were arrested in April last year and have been detained for more than a year now in Kamunting.

In an immediate reaction, inquiry panel member Prof Hamdan Adnan said: "It's up to them to come but they are missing a chance to say their piece."

Good treatment

Hamdan told malaysiakini yesterday that the inquiry will look into all human rights violations in detention and will allow the detainees to speak on anything.

The inquiry, chaired by deputy chairperson Harun Hashim with Hamdan and Asiah Abu Samah, began this morning in Taiping with a suspected Free Aceh Movement (GAM) activist Irhas Manaf taking the stand.

A suspected member of the Malaysian Mujahidin Group (KMM), Mohd Saleh Said, was next. Both said they received good treatment in the centre.

About 30 witnesses comprising detainees as well as medical staff and authorities at the detention centre will be called up for the inquiry.