Suhakam is likely to summon the police to testify at the human rights body's inquiry into the recent arrests under the Internal Security Act (ISA) later this month.

"We will most probably be calling the police as they are material witnesses," Suhakam commissioner Anuar Zainal Abidin told malaysiakini today.

However, he said that no final decision had been made and Suhakam was in the midst of compiling a list of potential witnesses.

The police were also called to testify last November in a separate Suhakam inquiry on allegations of police brutality during the 100,000 People's Gathering on Kesas highway. A report of that inquiry is expected to be released next week.

According to Anuar, two other commissioners - Mehrun Siraj and Simon Sipaun - will be sitting on the ISA inquiry panel.

Not open to public

However, unlike the Kesas Highway inquiry, the ISA inquiry will be closed to the public.

"The inquiry will be a closed one to accommodate witnesses who wish to remain anonymous, and matters pertaining to national security would be kept confidential," Anuar said.

But he said the results of the inquiry would be made public. Other witnesses expected to be called to testify are families of ISA detainees and ex-detainees.

"We expect to wrap it (the inquiry) up in three months," he added.

The commission announced on July 25 that it would be initiating an inquiry into the recent ISA arrests after it received a complaint that the foreign-born fiancee of ISA detainee Tian Chua was denied entry into Malaysia.

Chua was arrested in a police dragnet beginning April 10 for alleged involvement in a "militant attempt to overthrow the government".

The Keadilan vice-president, is now serving a two-year detention order in Kamunting together with party leaders, Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Dr Badrul Amin Bahron, Lokman Noor Adam and social activist-cum- malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais

Anuar also said that the early August arrests of 10 alleged members of the Malaysian Mujahideen Group under the ISA would also be looked into during the inquiry.

Strong evidence

He explained that the inquiry was to determine whether the security law, which allows detention without trial, is still relevant in Malaysian society.

"We want to see if the ISA is a suitable law or not, and we need strong evidence to support our decision," he said.

"The ISA has been with us for so long so we must look into it very carefully."

However, Suhakam has always maintained that detention without trial is a violation of human rights.

Meanwhile, Anuar also told malaysiakini that the report on Kesas Highway inquiry would be released next Monday.

"The report is 66 pages thick and we have sent copies of it to the police and the pertinent ministries," Anuar.

Criticisms expected

The report is the result of a five-month long inquiry that began in late November.

In addition to top police officers, other witnesses called were Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, two opposition parliamentarians and a 17-year-old student.

Anuar said that he expected criticisms from certain quarters when the report is released.

"In the nature of our work, we are not concerned with being criticised. What we are concerned with is the truth and the presentation of facts," he said.

"Those crititcising us are entitled to their view and we are entitled to ours. We have our right to advise the government as spelt out in our Act."

The commission was heavily criticised by the government when it released a report urging the authorities to respect freedom of assembly earlier this month.