The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) has been criticised for its stance that the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LBGT) community must be protected.

At a forum to discuss Suhakam’s 2011 annual report this morning, Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department representative Nik Mohd Marzuki said this is inconsistent with the principles of Islam.

"On sexual minorities, based on the Cairo declaration on human rights, all members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation agreed this was not a human right,” he said.

"Suhakam should remove this from the human rights category. It should respect the human rights of Muslims who make up more than 60 percent of the people in this country.”

NONE However, Suhakam chairperson Hasmy Agam (left) stressed that the section on sexual minorities, which makes up a small part of the annual report, is not intended to recognise the LGBT lifestyle.

"Our focus is merely on the fact that they are being discriminated (against) and should be given appropriate protection," he explained.

"When the UNHDR was drafted, the Islamic countries did not oppose it, they only abstained, so it was accepted.

"As a responsible member of the United Nations, we must comply and promote the UNDHR," Hasmy said.

However, he added, Suhakam acknowledged Malaysia as a Muslim-majority country and has exercised reservations in enforcing some of the international conventions on human rights and has engaged with groups on controversial issues.

He urged people not to equate UNDHR to the LGBT community, adding that human rights is universal.

NONE Hasmy also said he hoped that the commission's next annual report would be debated Parliament.

"I have made this known to (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz) and he agreed to inform speaker. He also said Parliament has a tight schedule.

"I hope for the next report, if the schedule is still tight then Parliament should at least form a select committee so that MPs can discuss the report," Hasmy said.

This would also be consistent with international practice, since most countries of the world debate the reports of their human rights commissions.

Greater protection needed for migrants

NONE On a separate matter, Suhakam commissioner Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah ( left ) said a relook was needed on contracts signed between migrant workers and employers.

This, Sha'ani said, was because such contracts heavily favoured the employers, who could easily terminate the agreements and leave the migrant workers in a fix.

"They spend thousands of ringgit coming to Malaysia legally, but end up becoming illegal workers and worst of all, the authorities will assist the employers to deport them back to their countries.

"It costs the migrant workers high costs to come here and they are left without any defence. There is weakness in the current mechanism," Sha'ani added.