KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 7 -- The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has been operating on a shoestring budget for years despite taking on more responsibilities, its chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Md Yunus said.

Mohd Hishamudin said the funding gap has hampered Suhakam's plans to widen its presence outside the Klang Valley and has limited its ability to launch probes and public engagements.

"Financial constraints require Suhakam to prioritise how its limited resources are used.

"The issue has become pressing as Suhakam's statutory responsibilities have expanded," he told Malay Mail during an exclusive interview recently.

Section 19(1) of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999 mandates the federal government to prov...