I do not personally know the two students recently detained under the ISA, Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin and Mohamad Fuad Mohd Ikhwan. I do not know about their activities, about what they may or may not have done on and off campus. I do not know if they should be labelled as 'student activists', but I do know that their detention under the ISA is inhumane and cruel.

If there really is evidence that these two students are involved in activities that are prejudicial to national security, then they should be charged in court and be given an opportunity to defend themselves, and not locked away under the ISA. They should not be held for even 60 days, as Mohd Fauzi suggests in his letter ('ISA's raison d'etre', July 9). My sympathy goes out to the two students and their families.

The government is not doing itself any favour by detaining them in this manner. If these students are found guilty in court of the crimes that they are accused of, then perhaps the rakyat will thank the government for doing its duty in protecting us, and not accuse it of abusing its power. If there is a threat to the nation I would really like to know about it so that I can do my bit to quell this threat.

These two students are people as well and should not be needlessly deprived of their liberty. It is sad indeed if the government sees in the hands of every mahasiswa a Molotov cocktail and in the hands of every mahasiswi a pack of matches.