Human rights and student groups in Indonesia organised a peaceful demonstration in support of the ISA 7 in front of the Malaysian embassy and Asean secretariat buildings in Jakarta yesterday.

They were opposing the suspension of seven Malaysian university students under Section 15 (d) of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UCCA) 1971, which they claimed infringes basic human rights.

The demonstration was organised by the Forum for Democracy (Faksi), the National Students Democracy League (LMND) and advocates of the democracy movement in Indonesia. The groups were also involved in the 1998 reformasi movement in Indonesia.

The ISA 7 are Rafzan Ramli, Helma Sanudin, Khairul Amal Mahmood, Ahmad Kamal Abdul Hamid, Wan Sanusi Wan Mohd Noor, Nik Noorhafizi Nik Ismail and Zulkifli Idris.

They are alleged to have breached section 27 of the Police Act by participating in a demonstration outside the National Mosque on June 8, 2001 (in protest of the Internal Security Act detention of reformasi activists).

The hearing began on Monday after being postponed eight times. The students are represented by Amer Hamzah, Edmund Bon, Latheefa Koya, Wan Razali Wan Kadir and Zulkifli Omar. DPP Ahmad Bache is prosecuting the case.

Freedom of expression

While urging the government to reinstate the ISA 7, the groups also criticised Education Minister Musa Mohamad for telling the students to apologise before he would consider lifting their suspension orders.

According to the Jakarta groups, the students should be allowed to speak the truth and oppose any attempts to curb their right to do so.

In a statement, Faksi also demanded that laws which infringe the 1948 Universal Human Right Declaration be immediately abolished, citing in particular the Internal Security Act 1960 and UCCA.

They claimed that governments worldwide have become puppets of capitalists, through a neo - liberalism policy.

As such, they added, the governments are being forced to act in various ways to retain power and legitimacy, including the use of the military, police and courts.