The Internal Security Act (ISA) may be a thing of the past but the struggle against oppressive laws is far from over, said Hulu Kelang assemblyperson Saari Sungib.

Saari, in his latest book to be launched on Monday, said the intention and use of the ISA was solely to protect the interests of the powers-that-be.

In 'Derita Penjara Tanpa Bicara: Kisah Kekejaman Akta Zalim', Saari wrote: “This is because, when the rakyat are allowed to collectively share a common vision to seek for change, the status quo of the ruling party would be challenged.”

Whether it is Pakatan Rakyat or Barisan Nasional, which seeks to introduce new draconian laws, Saari said the rakyat have a moral obligation to oppose it before  being the passed by parliament.

“It is for the sake of the future generations, so that acts of cruelty would not be done against a fellow human being,” he said during an interview.

The two-term assemblyperson was under ISA detention twice – in 1998 and 2001.

Saari was also one of two PAS state representatives who signed a statutory declaration to deny claims made by former menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim that the leader had the majority support of the Selangor State Assembly. Khalid was sacked by PKR on Aug 9.

Saari argued that opposition to oppressive laws will only be realised by voting the Barisan Nasional out in the next general election “in big numbers”.

“We cannot afford to have draconian laws that can be used by the ruling party to silence the voices of dissent,” he said.

Saari's book will be launched by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim at a fundraising dinner for the Movement to Abolish Sedition Act, known by their Malay acronym GHAH, at the MBPJ Civic Centre.

Brainwashing camp

In his book, Saari highlighted how the authorities had turned the Kamunting Detention Centre ( left ) into a ‘camp for brainwashing the activists.’

“The Investigating Officers (I/O), when carrying out interrogations, are supplied with a standard script prepared by their high-level Special Branch bosses ensuring that Umno-BN will remain in power.

“For them, Umno-BN’s position cannot be shaken. This has, in fact, become almost like the fundamental creed for the Special Branch folks – that Umno-BN cannot be threatened,” he wrote.

Describing himself as a ‘sitting duck’ while under detention, Saari said the I/Os and the police guards often bullied the detainees.

The first thing that most detainees experience is the ordeal of being arrested.

“It was a traumatic experience for me when I was taken into the detention centre.

“Firstly, I was shocked that in this beloved country of ours, there are still secret places where our human rights are robbed and people (are) being treated with such indignity,” he wrote

He added: “I was also shocked, because for the first time in my life, I was face-to-face with my fellow human beings, who are supposed to be Malays and Muslims, but their cruelty was almost unthinkable.

“Every night and day, during the interrogations, I was screamed at using all sorts of vulgar words.”

In his book, Saari provided details of the process used during interrogation in his first 60 days of detention without trial, and the subsequent two-year detention at Kamunting.

“Their aim is to demoralise you, make you feel like you are a haprak or a useless person without purpose in life, and even force you to admit to a crime that you never did towards your race, religion and the country,” he wrote.

Dehumanising treatment

“Still under trauma, the detainee is first brought to the police station, where the fingerprints are taken from every finger on both hands.

“Mugshots from various and multiple angles were also taken. The process is tedious and can take up to three hours!

“While going through the process, the detainee will start questioning himself what he had done wrong to deserve such a treatment. Then, the detainee is asked to take off his clothes.”

Saari explained that, although removal of clothes has nothing to do with the interrogation process, this was done to test the resilience level of the detainee.

“If the detainee volunteers to take off the clothes even at the police station, the chances are that the interrogation will further weaken his mental and defence system,” he said.

Most of the questions asked during the interrogation are not necessarily relevant to the detainee’s real reason for being detained, what more with national security.

“Questions such as: Who was the organiser? How many people attended the ceramah? Who else attended the ceramah? Who were the other speakers? Who accompanied you ? How did you go to the ceramah? What shirt were you wearing? Were you wearing the kopiah or the songkok?”

The next day, another team of SB would ask the same questions, which could be repeated for the next few days.

“Then, one or two SBs would come in and start asking how tall (in centimetres) was the other speaker after you. What was the colour of his skin? What about his hairstyle? Long or short? Wearing spectacles or not?” wrote Saari.

The real reason for such  a line of questioning, as pointed out by Saari, “was to create a sense of remorse and regret in the detainees for criticising the policies, programmes, corruption and discrimination practised by the Umno-BN government.”

They would then suggest that it would be better to get involved in Umno and push the reform agenda through Umno. “That is far better, they would suggest!” Saari added.

Manufacturing fear

Another tactic often used is to involve tens of police and the SB officers to enter the home of the detainee. Then, the standard charges would be read to the detainee: “You are detained under Section 73 (1) with threatening national security.”

This is usually done in front of the wife and children in order to send  shock waves to them, that the detainee – someone who is husband or father – was in fact, involved in some “secret” plots.

A raid of the house would then be carried out, where books (including religious books), cassettes, or CDs – hardly a threat to national security – would be removed from the home.

Boxes of the personal belongings would be carried out of the house in the presence of the neighbours.

“This is to create a trauma to both the neighbours, and the family members, as though the detainee was involved in some serious crime,” said Saari.

This, he added, has been successful in creating fear in some people to the extent that they would not even listen to the speeches by the members of the Opposition.

“This is what I want to expose to more people so that they are prepared, whenever such an act of injustice is done in the name of national security,” Saari stressed.

“As a political or social activist, remember you must be principle-centred, have a clear objective that your struggle is to defend the rights of the rakyat based on those clear principles.

“You must be dead sure of the purpose of your struggle. During the interrogations, tell only the truth and never try to manipulate or create stories.

"Remember that truth is the foundation of your struggle, especially at times of adversity – that is, difficult times of rigorous interrogations and solitary confinement.”

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.