For 13 of them, their term as Suhakam commissioners expires tomorrow and up till today, they are unsure whether they are still commissioners when they wake up on Monday morning.

According to Abu Taib Othman, chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, the commissioners affected are still in the dark as they have not received any news from the government.

"There is no indication yet. Suhakam's office has not been advised yet by the government pertaining to the matter," he told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur today.

He claimed that there is not the slightest hint of whose terms will be renewed nor those who will be removed, adding that the appointment of the commissioners is purely the jurisdiction of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong upon recommendation made by the prime minister.

"It's entirely up to the government to decide. I am sure that the government is fully aware of the matter," he said.

Abu Talib's tenure also expires tomorrow. He has already served as Suhakam chairperson for two terms.

He said that if there were no extension of their tenure come the expire date, he and 12 others would no longer be able to serve as commissioners for Suhakam from April 24 onwards.

Office operates normally

Nevertheless, he said the Suhakam's office will still be operating as usual, adding that:

"Suhakam will still be there and our officers will still be there. The matter (expiry) will not affect the operation of Suhakam. It will continue to operate as usual".

Apart from Abu Talib, those whose terms will expire tomorrow are Suhakam's vice-chairman Simon Sipaun, Prof Mohd Hamdan Adnan, Prof Dr Chiam Heng Keng, Dr Muhammad Hirman Ritom Abdullah, VR Navaratnam, Asiah Abu Samah and Dr Raj Abdul Karim.

Also is the list are Dr Abdul Monir Yaacob, Karam Chand Vohrah, Ranita Mohd Hussein, Choo Siew Kioh and Tunku Nazihah Yunku Mohamed Rus.

The terms for three other commissioners, Prof Dr Khoo Kay Kim, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Siva Subramaniam Nagaratnam will end between June and July this year.