The recent arrests of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, DAP MP Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng under ISA for allegedly posing a threat to security, peace and public order were unwarranted and a violation of their rights.

This is yet another desperate attempt discharged by the home ministry under the pretext of national security to oppress political dissidents in Malaysia. The three arrested have not committed any criminal offence to deserve such opprobrium. So what are the crimes?

RPK was arrested because of his ‘crime’ to defend the freedom to speak the truth and expose a high-ranking Umno official’s collusion with police in corrupt practices and abuse of power.

Teresa was arrested on false allegations regarding a petition.

Journalist Tan was arrested simply because she reported the true story of an Umno divisional chief’s racial remarks during the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign. Tan was released the following day.

This episode demonstrates yet another shocking indictment of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government of a long series of 'days of infamy', 'perversion of justice', ‘violation fundamental rights' and ‘heavy-handed unconstitutional tactics’.

Its determination to subvert the fabric of social justice comes at a time when the rakyat ’s dissatisfaction with the government is at an all time high. By invoking the draconian ISA just days before Anwar Ibrahim’s grand plan to form government is panic-inspired desperation to instil fear and instability in the Malaysian public.

The government’s heavy-handed tactic is in sharp contrast with Anwar’s agenda that under the administration of a Pakatan Rakyat government, the dastardly act of arbitrary detention under ISA without trial will be abolished.

The ISA’s indefinite detention without trial has long been criticised for its complete disregard for the rule of law. It is a denial of an open and fair trial and detainees are locked up under solitary confinement during the first 60 days at a secret detention. No family members or legal counsel are permitted to visit the detainees.

Former detainees have testified to being subjected to physical, psychological and humiliating torture while in detention. This included inhumane and degrading treatment like physical assault, sleep deprivation, round-the-clock interrogation, solitary confinement, being stripped naked, appalling living conditions and threats of bodily harm to detainees' family members and legal counsels.

Prolonged torture and deprivation have led to detainees sometimes signing state-manufactured 'confessions' under severe duress

RPK had previously been arrested notably in 2001 under ISA for about 52 days because of his protagonism and leading role in the International Free Anwar Campaign during the early days of Reformasi . He was later released but no evidence had been produced by the authorities to substantiate the sensational allegations against him.

He was again briefly detained for 3 days in May 2008 for a flimsy charge of posting a seditious article in his Malaysia Today website implicating the deputy prime minister and others in Umno in the Altantunya murder case.

RPK is fully aware of what goes on during detention under the ISA, so why is he in trouble again? He has not committed any criminal offence to warrant such a gratuitous arrest. RPK’s real crime, many feel, is "to speak the truth and to defend the cause of human freedom and dignity and to oppose those who resist it".

RPK is determined to do just that with his self-sacrificing courage for a just Malaysia. He has the mind power and political will to defeat the ISA ill-treatments. In his book, From prince to prisoner , he revealed that "if you know how to deal with yourself under duress, the secret is to always be in control of your mind and never let them (ISA) ‘own’ you".

He said while in prison, he planned his strategy daily in preparation of uncertainties, to retain control of his mind so that the authorities couldn’t break him. ISA is injustice and un-Islamic, according to RPK in his book, and people who uphold this un-Islamic law are enemies of Islam. Islam is against injustice.

RPK has paid a very high price, going from prince to the labyrinth of a prisoner because of his willingness to speak the truth to defend freedom of speech. He believes the struggle for freedom, democracy and social justice in Malaysia is the only hope to rebuild the credibility of the government in the eyes of disillusioned Malaysians.

They will never fault RPK because of his self-sacrificing courage to be truthful. Malaysians who are willing to walk with RPK "to speak the truth and to defend the cause of human freedom and dignity" must rise up to free him and to bring about change for a just and progressive Malaysia.