Internal Security Act detainee Tian Chua suspects that the alleged abusive treatment he and four other detainees were subjected to at the Kamunting camp in Perak two weeks ago was to divert public attention from the review board's advice to the government to free them.

Tian Chua ( left ) claimed the May 9 raid o­n his quarters - ostensibly to remove an 'unauthorised' notebook computer - occurred the day after the ISA Advisory Board issued another recommendation that the detainees be released.

"The tension created by the raid was apparently to divert the public attention from the Advisory Board's recommendation," he said in the statement which was released through the ISA detainees' family support group to malaysiakini and PAS organ Harakah .

Under the ISA - which allows detention without trial - the Advisory Board, consisting of senior civil servants, sits every six months to hear appeals by detainees against their detention orders.

In December last year, the board recommended to the home minister - who signs the detention orders - that Tian Chua and five of his colleagues be set free. Another review was done early this month with the board making the same recommendation to the government.

Deliberate action

Tian Chua also suspected that camp authorities were deliberately stirring up confrontations in the final weeks before their two-year ISA detention term expires early next month.

He said it was clear that the government is running out of "excuses" to keep them in prison, adding that he would not be surprised if the provocations were efforts to justify the extension of their detention.

"For a government which has abandoned the principles of justice and democracy, and hence lost legitimacy, its ultimate power comes from violence coercion."

"From the black eye of Anwar Ibrahim to the brutal beating of peaceful demonstrators, and now the provocative assault in Kamunting camp - they are all testimony to the state violence against dissent. Ironically, these violent actions o­nly reflect the government's deepest fear," he said.

Tian said that o­n May 9, they had a "surprise visit" from a team of about 30 warders and prison security unit personnel, who stormed their detention quarters.

"I was the first to encounter the 'gate crasher' as I was nearest to the block entrance, having just collected my dry clothes from outside. Their aggressive manner shocked me. Before I could ask the purpose of their break-in, I was pounced o­n."

He said several men pressed him down to the ground and twisted his arms before handcuffing him from behind. Upon seeing this, fellow detainee Hishamuddin Rais ( left ) tried to persuade the attackers from assaulting Tian Chua, but he was instead attacked by others officials.

"He (Hisham) was then dragged to the punishment block and locked in the solitary confinement cell," he said.

Meanwhile, two other detainees - Saari Sungib and Lokman Nor Adam - who were inside the block, also put up some resistance against the officials who were equipped with shields and pepper spray.

Tian claimed that while he was struggling to stand up, several men hit him repeatedly.

"I protested and appealed to a prison officer, Ahmad Shahral, who appeared to be leading the raiding team. Finally, he agreed to release my handcuff."

Undue violence

Tian Chua said that it was ridiculous that the camp authorities had resorted to such violence to seize his computer notebook, since he had already obtained their permission.

"The day before the assault, I took the computer and met the camp's deputy director. In the presence of my lawyers, I notified him that I was taking the notebook for my studies since the authorities had never made any explicit objection to my requests," he said.

Tian Chua - who is seeking to do an external course at Universiti Sains Malaysia - said the issue could have been settled in a civil manner if the camp officials had sent someone to discuss the matter with him.

"The incident puzzled us as to what was the real motive for the camp's provocative action. The way they raided the block was as if we had kept some weapons.

"What is more perplexing to us is that this event was o­nly the latest of a series of other provocations by the camp," he said in reference to the confrontation between the detainees and the camp officials o­n May 4.

On that day, the detainees had argued with the camp officials who insisted that fellow detainee Dr Badrul Amin Baharon who was sick attends a case at the Kuala Lumpur magistrate's court.

The dispute resulted in the destruction of the detainees' vegetable garden which had been cultivated by Hishamuddin for more than a year.

No fear

Tian said the government had time and again resorted to violence against those who defied them but failed to realise that this would not stop the spirit of reformasi.

"The more the state tries to use violence, the more confident we shall be for our defiance will be stronger. We have no fear of their violence, and with the strength of peace we shall overcome," he said.

Tian and Hishamuddin have since lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia or Suhakam, urging it to probe into the incident.

Camp authorities have denied the detainees' allegations claiming that there was no act of violence during the incident which was described as a "routine block search".

The incident caused outrage among human rights and anti-ISA campaigners who denounced the action as a deliberate attempt by the government to justify a possible extension of the detainees' detention orders which expire o­n June 1.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi ( left ) nevertheless has the right to extend their detention for another two years.

The detainees were arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government through militant means, a charge which they have denied.