An opposition leader today condemned the formal detention of four reformasi activists under the Internal Security Act (ISA), and challenged the Home Affairs Minister to account for his action.

DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang said, "The formal detention of Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, Tian Chua, Saari Sungib and Hishamuddin Rais under the ISA is most deplorable, especially as only four days earlier, the Shah Alam High Court judge Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus had delivered the landmark judgment on habeas corpus and the ISA."

The four were among 10 Keadilan leaders and refomasi activists detained under the ISA in a police dragnet launched on April 10.

It was confirmed today that the four have been transferred to the Kamunting detention camp in Taiping, Perak and would most likely be held there for two years.

Faulting the recent spate of ISA arrests as studded with abuses of power, mala fide and a violation of fundamental constitutional safeguards on the liberty of the person, the judge had also suggested that it was "high time" for Parliament to consider whether the ISA has any relevance today, said Lim.

"How had Abdullah, as Home Minister, satisfied himself that the detention of the four under the ISA is necessary for the security of Malaysia?

Did he take the Hishamudin judgment into consideration before signing ISA detention orders?" queried Lim in his statement.

On Wednesday, Justice Hishamuddin who was hearing the habeas corpus applications of two ISA detained Keadilan leaders, N Gobalakrishnan and Abdul Ghani Haroon ordered their release on the grounds that their detention was "unlawful".

'Rubber stamped'

In a barrage of questions to the Home Minister, Lim also asked if Abdullah merely rubber-stamped the recommendation of the police or made an independent assessment about the reliability and veracity of the police investigation papers and recommendation.

He asked if Abdullah signed the detention order before or after the Shah Alam High Court judgment and if after, did he study the Hishamudin judgment and take it into consideration before coming to his decision.

"If he had failed to study the ... judgment before exercising his powers under Section 8 of the ISA to issue formal detention orders, would he suspend the detention order served on the four until he had given the Hishamudin judgment due and proper consideration?"

Lim said that Abdullah, who called for a policy of transparency to ensure the success of the government's development plans when introducing the Eighth Malaysia Plan (8MP) in the Dewan Negara last Tuesday, "should prove his own commitment to transparency by accounting for his actions as Home Minister" by answering these questions.