The Anti-Internal Security Act (ISA) movement appealed to the government today not extradite a Singaporean detained under the security law for alleged connection with terrorist activities in southern Philippines.

The condition of businessman Abdul Majid Kunji Mohammad, who was arrested on May 6 by police under the ISA, which allows for indefinite detention without trial, is not known.

According to GMI, his family and lawyer as well have not been allowed to meet Abdul Majid since his arrest 10 days ago.

"The police and the Home Ministry must release Abdul Majid immediately or justly produce him in court," demanded Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) president Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh.

gmi pc 110310 syed ibrahim GMI said it received information that the police were looking into sending Abdul Majid back to Singapore.

"We are afraid that if they do that without a trial, he might be arrested under the ISA in his country when he is sent back ," Syed Ibrahim ( right ) said.

It is learnt that Abdul Majid had been operating a travel agency in Kuala Lumpur, where he has been based for the last 10 years, and is also involved in the textile business.

However, both his ventures have not been profitable, said Syed Ibrahim, as Abdul Majid owes money to banks and has other loans pending.

“Under such circumstances, how can Abdul Majid fund a militant organisation?” he asked. 

The police, in a statement upon Abdul Majid’s arrest, said intelligence reports revealed that he was a Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) member and that he had been suspected of funding militant groups in southern Philippines.

Police have no proof

GMI coordinator Aliza Jaffar said interviews with Abdul Majid’s second wife, who is only known Suriati, showed that the police on May 6 barged into their travel agency in Setiawangsa and took him to their house nearby.

“The police stormed into the house without producing their identification or giving any reason. Abdul Majid’s wife repeatedly asked why he was handcuffed and the reason for his arrest, but the only answer she got was that he was being detained under ISA,” Syed Ibrahim said.

Citing past police actions carried out without tangible evidence and on the excuse of “preventive grounds”, GMI said the authorities have committed mala fide (bad faith) in arresting Abdul Majid.

NONE Aliza said Suriati was told not to meet with the media and therefore, declined to be present at the conference called by GMI today.

“I am the wife of a former ISA detainee... I know what they (the police) would tell. They will say that he is well taken care of and given access to all the amenities... but as wives, it is our responsibility to clear our husband’s tarnished reputation,” Aliza said.

Syed Ibrahim said members of the public generally believe that ISA detainees have committed crimes because there no opportunity is given to them to prove their innocence.

GMI has been mounting pressure on the government to repeal the ISA.

On Aug 1 last year, it organised a mass rally to submit a petition seeking the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's intervention against the use of the ISA.

The federal government promised to review the ISA in April 2009, but took no action. In fact, Syed Ibrahim said, more people have been arrested under this law.

“We are adamant that the ISA must be abolished. The government must also release all detainees and apologise to them.

“The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) proposed in 2003 that the ISA be abolished and replaced with an anti-terrorism law, but this has not been looked into,” he added.