The National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) is seeking amendments to the law to allow it to conduct "sudden visits" on places of detention from time to time.

According to deputy chairperson Khaw Lake Tee, this was among nine recommended amendments to the Suhakam Act 1999 proposed to de facto law minister Nancy Shukri.

"Now we have to give notice and sometimes there is insufficient time to do so after we get complaints from families of detainees.

"We should go to detention centres immediately upon complaint but if we have to send a notice, then this will be delayed.

"We understand the dangers of showing up without a notice but we feel a better process can be worked out and it will be easier to include it into the law," she said at a press conference.

According to commissioner in charge of complaints James Nagayam, prisons and lock-up visits require two-day notice.

"But we have clearance from the Home Ministry for sudden visits to the immigration detention centres," he told Malaysiakini .

90% of deaths due to health reasons

Nayagam will be visiting the Dang Wangi lock up on Monday as part of Suhakam's study into deaths in custody and detention centres.

However, the visit is only for a limited delegation and not open to the media, with Suhakam given specific instructions as to which areas it can or cannot photograph.

Nayagam said that the study will be focusing on welfare of detainees, workers, administrative and budgetary issues including provisions for health officers and officer training.

He said that official statistics show that 90 percent of deaths in custody is due to "health reasons",  but there has never been a study as to why this is so and how to improve conditions to avoid it.

Suhakam's scheduled visit comes soon after news of the 19th custodial death this year.

Suhakam chairperson Hasmy Agam said that the commission also had a dialogue with Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to raise issues of human rights compliance in enforcement agencies under the ministry last week and is due to meet police chief Khalid Abu Bakar next week.

In its annual report, presented to the media today, Suhakam recommended that medical officers are placed at all detention centres.

It also recommended more manpower be deployed in detention centres and greater care given to detainee welfare and staff, especially when it comes to communicable diseases.