The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) will conduct separate investigations into conditions at the Sabah immigration holding centres following allegations of abuse and death of several deportees there.

Suhakam commissioner Prof Mohd Hamdan Adnan, who is in Sabah now, said he will visit the detention centres with commissioner Simon Sipaun and several other Suhakam officials over the next few days.

"Tomorrow, we will try to visit the camp in Kota Kinabalu. I have already spoken with the Sabah police chief and will be meeting with him tomorrow," he said when contacted today.

Hamdan said that visits to two other detention centres in Tawau and Sandakan will continue next week because of resource and time constraints as Suhakam officials are preparing for Human Rights Day on Sept 9.

Asked if he was aware of the findings of the Filipino delegation who had visited the detention camps earlier this week, Hamdan said, "I do not know their findings. From press reports, they appeared to be satisfied."

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo appointed a team to investigate allegations that poor conditions in Malaysian detention camps had caused the deaths of at least seven children of migrant workers.

The team, led by Arroyo's Muslim affairs advisor Nur Jaafar, left Sabah today after visiting all the Sabah detention centres on a four-day fact-finding mission.

Relations between Malaysia and Philippines took another blow yesterday after female migrant workers alleged they have been sexually abused and raped by camp enforcement officials.

Letter to PM

Arroyo was reported to have sent a letter to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad demanding action be taken following reports that a 13-year-old Filipina deportee has been raped.

Meanwhile, Bukit Aman federal police headquarters spokesperson Shamsuddin Ali said investigations are being conducted by the Sabah police.

"We do not sweep these incidences under the carpet. People should not be afraid of making reports to the police. If there is any malpractice, we encourage people to speak out," said Shamsuddin when contacted today.

According to him, the police have previously taken action against officers found to have committed wrong-doing. "We prosecute them. We sent them out of the force."

Asked if Mahathir had requested Bukit Aman to look into the rape claims, Shamsuddin said the prime minister had not made any direct request.

"There is no need for federal police (to be involved now) as Sabah police are conducting their investigations," he added.

In an AFP report today, Sabah police chief Ramli Yusuff was quoted as saying that a team headed by a senior police officer had been formed to carry out investigations into the rape of the girl and all other allegations of offences said to be committed by policemen.

Ramli was also reported as saying that police are now making arrangements for the girl to return to Sabah so that she can make a formal complaint and be interviewed.

Sex slaves

In a related development, labour rights organisation, Tenaganita, said it had obtained a report compiled by Filipino social workers on the rape and sexual abuse cases involving Malaysian enforcement officials.

According to Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez, the Philippine non-government organisation, Migrante International's report claimed that at least seven policemen in Tawau had made Filipinas their sex slaves.

"Their leader is a policeman identified as Azri. The women were taken out of the detention cell and taken to a separate room where they were raped or made into sex slaves by police personnel," she said, adding that some women were given food as 'compensation'.

Fernandez, during a press conference, said the women were vulnerable because they were held captive by those who perpetrated crimes against them.