with him, as the initial step for the Commission to engage Parliamentarians from both the ruling and opposition component parties to discuss contentious human rights. YB Tan Sri Pandikar also expressed his readiness to help facilitate the formation of the Caucus. A Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights had been established beforehand in 2004 by the then Minister in charge of Parliamentary affairs, YB Dato’ Seri Nazri Aziz. The Caucus comprised members of Parliament from both sides of the divide and had organised among others, a joint visit to Kamunting Detention Centre in 200513, as part of their work on ISA detainees. Other Parliamentary Caucuses that have been established thus far include: • • • • • Parliamentary Caucus on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) Parliamentary Caucus on Illegal Gambling Women’s Parliamentary Caucus Parliamentary Caucus on Worker Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance At the meeting with IPU, the Commission was informed that PCHR would assist the Commission on critical human rights issues such as ratification of the remaining international treaties pertaining to human rights and the withdrawal of reservations that have been made to the ratified treaties. In addition, the Commission also hopes that the PCHR will serve as a platform for other human rights issues such as the debate on the Commission’s annual report and alternative to the detention for children (ATD). Accordingly, the Commission recommends that the functions and terms of reference of Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights to be as follows: i) To steer discussion and encourage the government to accede to all human rights treaties; ii) To review the legislation tabled before the House of the Parliament for consistency with human rights obligations and principles. iii) To review and discuss the reports by Human Rights Commission of Malaysia and to raise issues and recommendations which deem appropriate in the Parliament; and iv) To pursue the establishment of Select Committee on Human Rights. 13 46 https://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/malaysia0905/6.htm accessed on 1/8/2016 S UH A KA M A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 1 7