All 193 members of Parliament have been sent a copy of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Saari Sungib's latest book entitled ' Penahanan Tidak Sah & Mala Fide '.

The book highlights issues linked to unlawful detention and bad faith o­n the part of police in applying the provisions of the ISA.

This morning, Saari's wife Aliza Jaafar and several Anti-ISA Movement (AIM) members held a press conference at the Pos Malaysia Bhd headquarters at Menara Dayabumi, Kuala Lumpur, before dropping the first batch of 120 copies into the mailbox.

'Not enough support'

The books were sent to the office and home addresses of MPs, There was also a copy for Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamed Zahir Ismail.

"Although issues pertaining to the ISA have been raised in Parliament repeatedly, o­nly the opposition MPs have supported the abolition of the law," Aliza told reporters.

"Not a single MP from the ruling coalition has supported this so far, maybe because they don't know the real situation. That is why we decided to send them each a copy."

She expressed hope that they would read the book and realise that the ISA "is being abused" - and that this was not an opposition political issue but something for all Malaysians to think about.

Aliza said it was easy for those who have never experienced any form of detention to take such matters lightly.

"But for those of us with family and friends detained under the ISA, it is a totally different story. We want to share it with others so that they will understand our call to abolish the law."

She also related several instances of alleged torture of detainees at the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping, Perak.

"We've been hearing from the wives of other detainees, especially those allegedly linked to KMM (Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia), that their husbands are being treated like animals, if not worse," Aliza claimed.

Reflection required

Also present this morning was AIM working committee chairperson Zaid Kamaruddin, Nashita Md Nor of the ISA detainees family support centre and AIM committee member and Jemaah Islah Malaysia vice-president Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh.

Reading out a statement, Zaid ( left ) said the book documents the ordeal of five ISA detainees in getting a habeas corpus order against their detention under Section 73(1) of the ISA. The order was granted on Sept 6 last year.

Apart from Saari, reformasi leaders Mohamed Ezam Mohd Nor, Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin, Chua Tian Chang, Hishamuddin Rais are also under detention.

Zaid said it was sad that the Federal Court had stopped short of declaring their two-year detention order as unlawful.

"By sending this book to each and every MP, we hope they will read and reflect o­n the implications of the administration of justice in the country," he said..

"We hope they will also ponder o­n democratic practices, specifically the separation of powers, given the fact that the judiciary's decision has been ignored by the Executive."

Sixth in series

Saari has written seven volumes detailing his experience after being arrested under the ISA in April 2001. His two-year detention order under Section 8 of the act took effect from June 2 that year.

' Penahanan Tidak Sah & Mala Fide ' is the sixth in his Voice from Kamunting series.

It contains the full judgments of the Federal Court bench - then Chief Justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah, Chief Judge of the High Courts of Sabah and Sarawak Steven Shim, and Justices Siti Norma Yaakob and Abdul Malek Ahmad - who heard the appeal of the five detainees.

Also included are the full judgments of Shah Alam High Court judges Hishamuddin Yunus and Suriyadi Halim Omar - both of whom had granted their habeas corpus applications.

Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Augustine Paul's judgment in rejecting similar applications by six other reformasi leaders is in the book as well.

Yesterday, Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung ( photo ) said the government would consider recommendations made by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia to replace the ISA with a comprehensive security law clearly defining what constitutes national security.

In the landmark review, the national human rights watchdog also suggested that the government amend the ISA pending passage of a new law.