A delegation from the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) today made an unannounced visit to the Health Ministry during the latter's daily briefing o­n Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).

The four-member delegation led by commissioner Prof Mohd Hamdan Adnan arrived at the ministry soon after briefing started.

Though surprised, reporters cornered Mohd Hamdan for comments immediately after the ministry's deputy director-general Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, ended his briefing.

'Good lesson'

Mohd Hamdan said the commission decided to make an informal visit after receiving many calls and complaints alleging a cover-up by the Health Ministry o­n the Sars outbreak.

Most of these complaints came from "members of opposition parties".

"We received numerous calls and we are also aware of rampant rumours about Sars. So we must find out what is happening now as we need to explain to the people," he said.

Commenting o­n the daily briefing, Mohd Hamdan said it was a "good lesson" that the ministry had learnt from its previous handling of epidemic diseases".

"This daily briefing should, at least, minimise the rumours spreading among the public," he said.

"I hope the ministry will maintain such a procedure in handling all epidemics in future," he said, referring to the Nipah virus and the dengue fever outbreaks.

Mohd Hamdan had slammed the ministry for its non-cooperation in releasing statistics of the recent dengue outbreak when Suhakam requested for them.

Surgical masks

The daily briefing, he said, also helps to increase people's confidence that something is being done to check the outbreak.

"When people know the true situation, they will not be so depressed to the extent that they don't even dare to go out. This will create a backlash to the country's economic growth," he said.

"I visited the Kuala Lumpur Hospital this morning and noticed that many visitors were not wearing masks. They also appeared more confident unlike the situation two weeks ago when I went there," Mohd Hamdan added.

The commissioner had also led a Suhakam team to visit the Selayang Hospital.

Mohd Hamdan, who is also president of the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association, urged private pharmacies and other distributors not to increase the price of surgical masks, saying that they should not be exploiting this disease to make money.

On April 8, DAP had lodged a complaint to Suhakam and called o­n the commission to ensure that the ministry disseminates accurate information without covering up anything o­n the Sars situation in the country.

Its chairperson Lim Kit Siang said transparent, accurate and timely information was crucial to restore public confidence and to assure the people that the government was o­n top of the outbreak.