In a desperate attempt to secure the release of their husbands, the wives of two Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees 'ambushed' Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at a function today.

During their brief meeting, the duo managed to hand over a letter to the premier who had earlier presented checques to Felda Sendayan land owners at a school in Negeri Sembilan.

"Firstly I introduced myself and told him that my husband has been detained for four years under the ISA, then I gave him the letter," said one of them, Norlaila Othman ( left ), when contacted later.

"He was initially smiling but his face changed the moment I gave him the letter. He only managed to say 'yes, yes' before his security guards came and told us to leave," she added.

According to her, the two-page letter asked the premier to close down the Kamunting detention camp, where ISA detainees are held and to free all the detainees.

"The prime minister recently called for the closure of the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay. If he can say that, why doesn't he shut down Kamunting as well?" she asked.

Quizzed by SB

Norlaila, who has a 13-year-old son, also claimed that she was approached by police special branch officers after she handed the letter. She was allegedly quizzed on the content.

The 39-year-old teacher was accompanied by Siti Norma Ismail. Their husbands, Mat Sah Mohd Satray and Abdullah Minyak Silam, were detained between 2001 and 2002 over terror-related charges.

Their detention orders are expected to expire between June and March this year. Under the ISA, which allows for detention without trial, Abdullah, in his capacity as internal security minister, can extend their detention for another two years.

On Wednesday, the government extended the detention of two detainees Abdul Samad Shukri Mohamad and Ahmad Yani Ismail, who were arrested in 2002, for another two years.