Recently released Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Tian Chua lit candles and offered special prayers at the Burmese temple in Penang yesterday to express solidarity with Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is now in 'preventive custody'.

Tian described the military junta's initial reluctance to allow United Nations special envoy Razali Ismail to see the popular Opposition leader this week as "typical behaviour of any authoritarian regime".

Tian was among the ISA detainees released from the Kamunting Detention Camp in Perak on June 1, although he was held in custody for three more days until he obtained bail on pending charges of illegal assembly.

Universal rights

Speaking to reporters at the temple, Tian said some regimes use violence to maintain power and totally disregard international opinion on human rights abuses.

"Our presence here is to show solidarity with political prisoners all over the world because human rights and democratic rights are universal to all of humanity," he said.

Tian, who is Keadilan vice-president, was accompanied by a group of about 30 friends and supporters including the party's supreme council members and lawyers Cheah Kah Peng and Gooi Hock Seng.

Members of the Penang-based Women's Advocacy and Crisis Centre, social reform movement Aliran representative Preme Devaraj, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's special assistant Law Choo Kiang and the party's community bureau chief Peter Lim were also present.

Members of human rights group Suaram (Penang chapter) carried placards with solidarity messages for the Burmese Opposition leader.

Asean engagement

Gooi said Asean governments should impress upon Burma's military junta that it should respect the UN's request to allow its representative to visit Suu Kyi.

She was reportedly injured in a violent confrontation between her supporters and pro-government protesters in the northern region more than a week ago, and has since been held incommunicado.

"Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has fully backed (Asean's) constructive engagement approach, should use his good offices to ask the Burmese junta to respect the UN's request," Gooi said.

Cheah said Tian's visit to the temple indicated that "authoritarian and draconian laws" do not deter people from seeking freedom and democracy.

He added that it was not enough for anyone to work towards democracy in their own country, without showing solidarity for others in the same predicament elsewhere.

"This event has double significance for us...he (Tian) is praying not only for other political detainees yet to be released from Kamunting, but also for the Burmese people."

The other ISA detainees include Keadilan leaders Lokman Adam and Dr Badrulamin Bahron, who are due for release on Thursday unless their two-year detention orders are renewed.