In reply to Wong Choon Toi's 'Wait for gov't to show proof against ISA 4' (June 11). With all due respect, I think you are missing the point here.

For a government to arrest anyone without proof or reason is totally against the principles of democracy. You say that we should all be patient and wait for the government to come up with the evidence, but that logic in itself is twisted.

Isn't our judicial system based on the fact that one is innocent until proven guilty?

Think about it this way. If someone from the police force came knocking on your door tonight and hauled you off to god knows where for "questioning", and deny you any access to your lawyers, your family or your right to any form of redress, what would you think then?

When you are incarcerated without hope of going to trial, would you still want the public, your family and your friends to believe that the police are justified in their actions? That they, in their wisdom, needed to take this pre-emptive action for the greater good of the nation?

That while this very professional force of ours (with its excellent track record regarding treatment of people in their custody) could not come up with a single law in their thick law books to charge you in court, they should take you in, just in case.

Your justification for the government's use of ISA is also unreasonable. The fact that the top leaders of the opposition weren't arrested, that Raja Petra was released, that the government wants the people's goodwill, has nothing to do with the evil and the malice that is inherent in the use of the ISA.

Should the whole nation be grateful then just because they are not in jail now? Should I feel grateful that I have not been arrested, even though I am critical of the ISA?

Four citizens of Malaysia, four of the 30 million that the government and police had sworn to serve, have been arrested for no reason that can stand up to scrutiny in court.

Four men, who are being detained for more than 60 days now, with no idea at all of when they would be released. A murderer has the chance to plead his innocence, but no, not these four. Have they really done something so heinous that they don't even deserve a trial?

To anyone who still thinks that the ISA is necessary for "national security" whatever that means, please, open your eyes and see the truth.

A patriot is some who loves Malaysia, not someone who loves the government.