Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has urged for the Home Ministry to release the two remaining reformasi activist from the Kamunting Detention Centre immediately and unconditionally.

In a statement today, Suhakam said it looked forward to the review of the detention orders of Lokman Adam and Dr Badrulamin Bahron, when the orders expire next Thursday.

While welcoming the unconditional release of four reformasi activists - Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Tian Chua, Saari Sungib and Hishamuddin Rais - from ISA detention, the commission said the groups should have been released earlier based on a Federal Court judgement in their favour last year.

Overdue action

"Their release was indeed overdue in the light of the Federal Court judgement in September last year that declared the detention of the six reformasi activists (including Lokman and Badrulamin) as illegal and mala fide (in bad faith)," said Suhakam secretary Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria.

As the court's judgement referred to the initial sixty days of detention of the group under Section 73(1) of the Internal Security Act, it stopped short of ordering for the release of the activists, who were by then serving a two-year detention order signed by Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The court had then recommended for the activists to file another habeas corpus (wrongful detention) order against the two-year detention order.

The six activists were arrested in April 2001 for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government by 'militant means', a charge which they have denied.

Although technically released from detention under the ISA, Mohd Ezam remains behind bars at the Kajang prison serving a two-year jail term for breaching the Official Secrets Act. His term is expected to be completed in December this year.

Repeal ISA

Various other organisations too have made similar calls to repeal the Act and to charge the remaining detainees in open court to release them.

Meanwhile, Suhakam also urged the government to adopt recommendations that it made under its Review of the ISA report, released in March.

"The move by the Home Ministry not to extend the detention order and for the unconditional release of the four men is a step in the right direction towards adopting the recommendations.

"It is timely for Suhakam to reiterate its recommendation that the ISA be repealed and that the government enact a new comprehensive legislation which conforms with human rights principles to combat subversion (including terrorism)," said the statement.

To limit abuses of the law, Suhakam said the judicial process must be brought back to check implementation of security laws and that the government should clearly spell out the offences which are considered threats to national security.

The commission had suggested for investigative detention periods to be limited to seven days, extendable by a court order for up to 29 days in total.

Suhakam also recommended for the two-year detention period to be shorted to three months, after which a detainee should be released or charged in a court of law.