About 2,000 people attended an event to pay tribute to the six reformasi activists who were recently released from their two-year Internal Security Act detention in Ipoh, Perak last night.

The event - dubbed 'ISA Heroes Night' - was organised by Perak Keadilan and was the the first in a series of dinners to be held in various states over the coming weeks.

The ex-detainees present were Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, supreme council members Saari Sungib, Lokman Adam and Dr Badrulamin Baharon.

Two others, Keadilan Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor and malaysiakini columnist-cum-filmmaker Hishamuddin Rais did not attend.

The six were arrested in 2001 for allegedly planning to overthrow the government through militant means, a charge which they have denied.

Reformasi alive

In his speech, Tian expressed gratitude to the media that were bold enough to publish reports about them.

He also paid tribute to women - family members and activists - who had campaigned relentlessly for the release of the detainees.

"ISA was meant to create fear. But if more women participate in the movement against the Act, it would definitely motivate others to do the same," he said.

Tian said that when under detention, Special Branch officers had often told him that his struggles were pointless as the reformasi movement would be extinct by the time he is freed.

"But the crowd here tonight is testimony to the fact that reformasi is still alive," said the opposition leader.

Badrulamin spoke about the emergence of a new political order in Malaysia which is a threat to the ruling coalition.

He said this new politics was the reason why Keadilan leaders were the target of detention under the controversial security law.

"Outwardly, (Prime Minister Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) often criticises PAS and its leaders. But in practice, it is Keadilan leaders who suffer," he said, in reference to the recently concluded Umno AGM in which the premier and other Umno leaders bashed PAS.

He added that Keadilan leaders were the ones who get arrested and it was the party's ceramah (political talks) that is usually banned.

"Why? Because in Keadilan, we have all ethnic groups - Malays, Indians and Chinese. The government is frightened of this," he stressed.

Stripped naked

On the other hand, Lokman related his ordeal during the initial 60-day detention at an unidentified location.

The Keadilan leader claimed he was stripped naked and police personnel drew "each mole and mark" on his body onto a piece of paper.

This, he said, was done so that he could be identified even if he underwent plastic surgery later.

Lokman said on the first day of his arrest, he was locked-up in a small cell which was poorly ventilated.

"No one visited me. Not even the police. They left me there to repent and to think about my mother, wive and children," he said.

"So that when I see them the next day, I would miss them so much and repent immediately and stop whatever I am doing," he added.

While Saari said his family and friends would like to believe that he was released due to successful campaigns organised by the anti-ISA movements.

"However we would also like to believe that Mahathir could no longer stand the intense international pressure

"Which is why we should appreciate everyone who took part in the campaigns. Our release is in truth a victory for the people's movement," stressed the Keadilan supreme council member.

Release Anwar

Meanwhile, Perak Keadilan deputy chief Dr Lee Boon Chye challenged the premier to release jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim if the former was confident of winning the next general elections.

Anwar is currently serving a 15 year jail term in the Sungai Buloh prison for sodomy and corruption. He claims to be the victim of a political conspiracy but the government has denied this.

Lee said if Barisan Nasional was certain of victory in the coming polls, the mainstream media and television networks should be allowed to openly debate current government policies.

"The government should also lift the ban on ceramah so that the people have the chance to hear about issues affecting the nation," he said.

Others present at the event were Keadilan leader and ex-ISA detainee N Gobalakrishnan, the detainees' lawyer and Keadilan supreme council member Cheah Kah Peng and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) pro tem committee vice-president Dr D Jayakumar.