I refer to your report Suhakam speaks to ISA camp officials, resolves several complaints (June 20). Commissioner Prof Hamdan Adnan has instructed me to write on his behalf as he is currently out of town. He has expressed his worry regarding the following aspects of the article.

"The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) today met with prison officials to follow up on allegations made by Internal Security Act detainees of abuse in the Kamunting Detention Camp in Perak ."

" 'We met them from 10am until 1pm and spoke about some of the allegations raised by the detainees yesterday.' "

"In a first ever public inquiry on ISA detentions which concluded yesterday at the Taiping Prison's sports club after two days, detainees gave accounts of the humiliation and abuse they went through during their initial 60-day detention, such as being forced to strip off their clothes and being slapped repeatedly ."

The above statements appear to convey the impression that the allegations of abuse, which included accusations of detainees being forced to "strip off their clothes and being slapped repeatedly", had occurred as a result of actions by Kamunting prison officials during the initial 60-day period. It should be noted that no such allegations were made by testifying detainees at the inquiry, in respect of their detention in Kamunting.

Misunderstandings may arise by virtue of the fact that persons unacquainted with the rules of procedure governing detentions under the ISA would not be aware that the initial 60-day period refers to detention in lock-ups and police remand centres, rather than detention at Kamunting itself.

Editor's note: The report has been amended as noted.