The Abolish the ISA Movement (GMI) will launch a greeting card campaign on Thursday to pressure the government into fulfilling its pledge to free Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees.

In a press release yesterday, GMI said the cards will be distributed at the organisation’s events for the public to fill up and offer moral support for the 45 detainees, currently held in the Kamunting detention camp.

“This movement aims to give Malaysians space to show their support for the ISA detainees. Any Malaysian can send a greeting card to an ISA detainee, and the GMI will deliver these straight to the detention camp”, he said.

The campaign will be launched at a forum, entitled “ISA: Perfect Torture”, at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall which aims to raise public awareness of the suffering of ISA detainees and their families.

Panelists includes PAS vice-president Mohamad Sabu, activist Hishamuddin Rais, wife of a former ISA detainee Norlaila Othman and blogger Wan Ji Wan Hussin.

Mohamad and Hishammuddin are both former ISA detainees.

This campaign follow a series of protest held by GMI at the Kamunting detention camp. The latest rally was held on Sunday, involving 200 people.

“Our most recent protest saw public participation increase. This shows that Malaysians are more exposed toward the events transpiring in their world,” said GMI.

The group believes that the detainees will be released if there is sufficient public pressure.

“The government’s rhetoric about ‘promises fulfilled’ can be held in suspicion by Malaysians. This double standard of putting on pretty faces in front of the media, yet treating the small minority of individuals detained without trial without mercy.

“Is deception of the people. If the government is serious about its ‘promises fulfilled’ platform, the remaining 45 ISA detainees must be released,” said the group.