A specific time will not be allotted to debate on the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) 2003 annual report in Parliament, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz today.

He said a copy of the report, which is due to be released to the public over the next two weeks, was submitted to the cabinet yesterday during its weekly meeting.

"The cabinet decided that there shouldn't be a special occasion to debate the report, but it can be touched in the general debate during the supplementary bill stage," he told a press conference at the parliament lobby.

The current parliament session, which was initially scheduled to run from May 17 to June 8, has been extended for another three days to debate the supplementary bill.

This means the Suhakam annual report must be tabled before June 8 to allow parliamentarians to debate on it at the supplementary bill stage.

Scrutiny needed

Since its inception in 1999, Suhakam's annual reports and recommendations have never been debated in parliament despite being tabled.

This led certain quarters to criticise the government as the commission was formed to advise the former on human rights matters..

In a recent interview with malaysiakini , Nazri, who oversees parliamentary affairs, said Suhakam reports are not meant to be debated in parliament because it is not in the form of either motion, question or bill.

However, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang disagreed with Nazri's view.

"This is not true, unless there is nothing to be scrutinised in the report, a report tabled to parliament must be scrutinised," he said when asked for comment on the matter today.

For instance, he said the state audit reports tabled to parliament were scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee while Suhakan reports do not undergo this process.

Asked whether he would move a motion to seek a debate on the Suhakam report, Lim said he is not considering this.

"Even if the motion to debate the Suhakam report is passed, there is no ministerial winding-up provided for under the standing order. Therefore no answer will be provided for our questions raised in the debate," said the DAP chairperson and Ipoh Timor MP.