The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) must at once visit the six political detainees who are staging a hunger strike at the Kamunting Detention Centre, urged the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI).

GMIs appeal, which was faxed to Suhakam at 2am this morning, also asked the human rights watchdog to visit the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to meet with the detainees' families, friends and supporters who are also staging their own hunger strike there.

GMI secretary S Arutchelvan implored Suhakam to start an open inquiry into what he claimed to be misuse of the Internal Security Act by the government against the six.

We want Suhakam to tell the government to release the six detainees or charge them in open court, he told malaysiakini , adding that abuse of the act to quell legitimate political dissent against the government is a form of human rights violation.

Arutchelvan said what they are asking the commission to do is within its jurisdiction.

Commissioner Hamdan Adnan had on Wednesday assured opposition leaders and activists who submitted a memorandum on the same day urging Suhakam to secure the release of the six detainees, that a visit to Kamunting would be made next week.

Since the first anniversary of the arrest of the six on Wednesday, civil rights organisations such as Aliran and Amnesty International have openly urged Suhakam to look into the matter and called for an end to their detention.

The six hunger-striking detainees are Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Lokman Noor Adam, Dr Badrulamin Bahron and malaysiakini columnist-cum-filmmaker Hishamuddin Rais.

They began their hunger strike on the first anniversary of their arrest to demand that they be released or charged in open court.

Health readings hidden

Two of the detainees were reported to be sick yesterday. Badrulamin was said to be having high-blood pressure and fever while Hishamuddin was suffering from a severe migraine.

Today, Latheefa Koya, one of the lawyers for the detainees, was permitted to enter the detention centre.

Latheefa, who is also PRM Youth secretary-general, told malaysiakini that she met five of the detainees except Badrulamin who is still ill. She said the Keadilan leader had high-blood pressure, fever and is in a depressed state.

Arutchelvan said GMI will try to send a doctor to examine the detainees tomorrow. Permission was applied from the detention centre authorities two days ago to allow Dr D Jayakumar, a medical doctor who is also Parti Sosialis Malaysia pro-tem vice-president, to see them.

Were not very convinced [they will be looked after] although the detention centre authorities said they have their own medical team, Arutchelvan said, citing the police assault on former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim when he was detained under the ISA in 1998 as example.

We want our own doctor to verify [the detainees health], he added.

According to lawyer M Kulasegaran who visited the detainees yesterday, a doctor had checked the detainees' blood pressure earlier but did not reveal the readings.

He added that the detainees found it puzzling that the doctor who examined them earlier was "unresponsive and secretive" about their condition.

They also urged the authorities to be neutral and allow all the detainees access to their medical reports, said Kulasegaran who is also DAP deputy secretary-general.

Cant stop them

Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung told malaysiakini yesterday that the six detainees were violating camp regulations and procedures by going on the hunger-strike.

"We are going to observe the developments but if they want to go on a hunger strike we cannot stop them. We cannot insist that they eat," the deputy minister said.

Asked if action would be taken against the detainees, Chor said it was at the discretion of the centre's authorities.

According to the rules and regulations under the ISA, detainees who refuse "without any reasonable excuse to eat the food provided in the place of detention" are construed as committing an offence.

It is punishable by confinement in a punishment cell and the deprivation of, among others, visitors, books or clothing.

Meanwhile, when asked if the authorities would accede to the detainees' demands, Chors colleague Zainal Abidin Zin said: "The government put them in there in the first place." He did not elaborate what he meant by that reply.

He also said the authorities would not stop the detainees from holding a hunger strike as it is their choice.

However, GMI today condemned the statements made by the two home minister deputies, which the movement said were side-tracking from the major issue.

They should go to the detention camp and talk to the detainees to resolve the problem, Arutchelvan said.

Two may need drips

Meanwhile, out of the 15 people who are also on a hunger strike in solidarity with the six detainees, nine are said to have not drunk and eaten for the past two days.

Our doctor has been advising everyone to drink water, Arutchelvan said.

He said PAS central committee member Dr Mohd Hatta Mohd Ramli, who is also a medical doctor, had checked on the hunger-strikers health and found them to be dehydrated.

Two appeared to be on the verge of collapsing and may have to be put on drips, said Arutchelvan.