Keadilan leader Lokman Adam ( photo, right ) was granted bail by the Kuala Lumpur magistrates' court this afternoon over an illegal assembly charge, enabling him to join Dr Badrulamin Bahron in enjoying their freedom from two years of detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

They were both released from the Kamunting Detention Centre in the morning after the expiration of their two-year detention order under the ISA.

The duo had been detained with four other reformasi activists in June 2001 for allegedly plotting to topple the government through militant means, a charge they denied.

The four - Keadilan Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, vice-president Tian Chua, supreme council member Saari Sungib and malaysiakini columnist-cum-film maker Hishamuddin Rais - were released two weeks ago.

Without objection

Earlier today, while Badrulamin was reunited with his family, Lokman was taken to the Taiping police station pending the bail application for an illegal assembly charge.

In Kuala Lumpur, magistrate Marzilah Manap allowed bail of RM2,000, which was posted by Lokman's relative. He faces four counts of illegal assembly and bail for three of the charges was granted on Monday by other magistrates.

However, Mazilah had refused to hear Lokman's bail application, citing the fact that he was still under ISA detention then. She said he had to be released before he could apply for bail.

Lokman's lawyers then filed an appeal at the High Court, which was to have been heard today. However, the appeal was withdrawn and a new bail application was made before Mazilah today, who granted the bail. The prosecution did not object to the application.

Lokman's colleagues, supporters and family members were present at the court to welcome him.

Speaking to malaysiakini after the hearing, he expressed gratitude to God "for having softening (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad)'s heart to give me my freedom".

"While I know that I have the right to be free, I thank him for not extending my detention. I see it as a very positive move, although I think he did this for his own benefit....(the decision) probably has to do a lot with the coming general election," he said.

Lokman said he hoped that Mahathir would also show the same sense of "compassion" in dealing with jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, and not interefere in the judicial decision (on the bail application pending appeal against the conviction and sentence for a sodomy charge).

He pledged to continue working for the abolition of the ISA.

Time with family

Earlier this morning, officials at the Kamunting Detention Centre had informed Badrulamin of his release and left him at the Taiping bus station at about 8.45am - with RM20 for bus fare - to find his way home.

From the station, he called his family members who were already waiting in Kamunting to pick him up.

"I am naturally happy to be released after being incarcerated for two years. However I am sadden by the fact that the ISA is still being used by the government to punish people without bringing them to trial," he told malaysiakini .

He also said that his thoughts were now with the other remaining 100-odd ISA detainees in Kamunting.

Asked for his immediate plans, Badrulamin said he wanted to first enjoy his time with his family and then look into some of his business interests that have been left unattended following his detention.

"And of course, politically there is much to be done, especially with the impending party (Keadilan) restructuring following the merger with PRM," he added.