Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Saari Sungib, whose two-year detention without trial expires o­n June 1, has pledged to continue his duties, including political activities, for doing good and opposing evil in line with the teachings of Islam.

He told this to three officers from the Home Affairs Ministry who met several detainees at the Kamunting detention centre o­n May 23 for an interview pending his release, Saari's wife Aliza Jaffar said in a statement.

Relating what Saari had told her during the last family visit o­n Friday, Aliza said the officers met the detainees individually.

Detailed explanation

"The meeting lasted for 45 minutes. The officials admitted that during the two years, they were the last o­nes to meet the detainees after the ISA Advisory Board and the Special Branch team.

"They came with a report. Saari took the opportunity to explain his activities prior to his two-year detention, during detention as well as his future plans," she said.

On Friday, Deputy Home Minister Zainal Abidin Zin said whether the ISA detainees will be released or not depended o­n the reports prepared by case officers.

In her statement, Aliza appealed for the release of her husband and five other reformasi activists who have been detained since 2001.

The five are scheduled to be released next week. Saari, Tian Chua and Hishamuddin Rais would have served two years of detention without trial o­n June 1 while Dr Badrulamin Bahron and Lokman Nor Adam o­n June 12.

However, the government has the right to extend their detention.

The sixth activist in the group, Mohamed Ezam Mohd Nor, is currently serving another two years at the Kajang Prison for breaching the Official Secrets Act by leaking to the media confidential documents relating to a graft probe.

What after release?

Aliza said her husband reiterated his stand o­n transparency in all his activities - including the 10-year tenure as Jemaah Islah Malaysia president and subsequently as a political and reformasi activist - and that he will continue to document his struggles.

"The officials were more interested to know what my husband was planning to do after his release," she added.

She said Saari told them that he will be with his family and continue to struggle for good and truth in order to bring him closer to Allah.

"I was made to understand that this (interview) was a normal procedure at the end of every Section 8 detention.

"But whatever the legal provision, nothing matches the absolute power of the Home Minister in deciding the commencement or completion of a detention," said Aliza.

She also related how she was asked at the main gate by a camp security official to remove the 'Mansuhkan ISA' (Abolish ISA) sticker o­n the windscreen of her vehicle.

She eventually removed the sticker out of pity for the duty officer who had appealed to her saying that he would be made responsible for allowing such a sticker into the camp grounds during a visit by Home Ministry officials.

E-mail to DPM

Meanwhile, DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang has sent an e-mail to Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for the immediate release of the five reformasi activists without waiting for June 1.

"There is no basis - no good or acceptable reason - for their continued detention," he said in a statement today.

Referring to Zainal's statement, Lim asked whether the May 9 incident where Tian Chua and Hishamuddin were allegedly assaulted by the camp's security personnel would be a consideration for extending their detention.

"As a two-time ISA detainee myself, I totally reject that a detainee's behaviour should have anything to do with whether or not a person is a national security threat," he said.

Lim said in countries that regard and respect the rule of law, the reformasi activists would have been released immediately following a decision such as the Sept 6 Federal Court ruling that their detentions were unlawful.