About 10,000 postcards from Malaysians calling for the repeal of the Internal Security Act were sent to Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today.

The cards, collected by members of the Abolish ISA Movement (AIM), were handed to Abdullah's personal secretary Rosli Malek by several Keadilan Youth members at Putrajaya this afternoon.

Earlier, AIM organised a gathering in the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) office in Kuala Lumpur to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the much criticised security law which allows indefinite detention without trial.

Some 50 people from various non-governmental organisations and human rights groups attended the two-hour gathering which began at 1pm.

Several policemen were present outside the building but no untoward incidents happened.

AIM coordinator Zaid Kamaruddin told participants that the movement will continue to educate people about the cruelty of the Act.

"We will continue to give our support to the victims and families of the ISA, gather more supporters from organisations and individuals to lobby for the ISA to be repealed," he said.

"We will beef up efforts internationally and AIM will increase whatever efforts, including conducting roadshows, to make people aware of the cruelty of ISA," he added.

AIM, which comprises 83 non-governmental organisations, political parties, trade unions and individuals, was set up in April last year to lobby for the repeal of the law after the government detained six reformasi activists.

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

They were held for allegedly wanting to topple the government through militant means a charge which they have denied and are serving a two-year term at the Kamunting detention centre in Perak.

Sept 11 casualty

DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang, who was present at the gathering, called on human rights advocates to restrategise on how to rally national and international opinion against the ISA, as the campaign against the ISA is one noted casualty of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks on America.

"The Sept 11 terrorist attacks have come to the rescue of the Barisan Nasional government as transforming the status of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad from a persona non grata at the White House to a valued guest and friend, though not yet an ally," said Lim.

"With the treaty to be concluded between Asean nations and the US in the war against terrorism and the proposed establishment of a US-inspired regional centre against terrorism in Malaysia, Mahathir may soon become an ally," he added.

Ezam's wife, Bahirah Tajol Aris, who was also present, said the world can no longer accept the ISA an outdated law that has outlived it usefulness.

"It is time that Malaysians too rise to the occasion and demand the end of the ISA. It is time that Malaysians remove the shackles from free speech and demand an end to the law that denies the right of every Malaysian the freedom of expression and association," she said.

Restore confidence

Meanwhile, human rights group Suaram executive director Cynthia Gabriel urged the government to respect international standards of human rights.

"We urged Abdullah, who is set to be the premier soon, to restore the confidence of Malaysians. What better way that to start by repealing the ISA and releasing all political detainees?"

The ISA, enacted in 1960, was initially used to arrest suspected communists and to combat the communist insurgency which formally ended in 1989, but since independence, hundreds of political and social activists have been arrested and detained under the Act.

Also present at the gathering were PRM deputy president Rustam Sani, PAS Youth leader Sallehuddin Ayub, central committee member Dr Hatta Ramli, DAP publicity secretary Ronnie Liu and member of Parliament for Seputeh Teresa Kok, Keadilan secretary-general Sahri Bahri and pro tem president of Parti Sosialis Malaysia Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim.