Hundreds of people, mostly women, gathered at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) for a peaceful protest calling for the abolishment of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and also to express their support for those who are being detained under the law.

The gathering, organised by the Women's Agenda for Change (WAC), saw the protestors carrying placards and also balloons bearing the words 'Abolish ISA'.

"We pledge to carry the torch of this struggle. Let cruelty, violence and evil be buried. Let human rights return, like the sun, let it be an inspiration and a champion for the rakyat .

"Before justice is returned and cruelty is done away with, the soul will continue to rebel. No matter what happens, nothing can stop us," the pledge was read out loud by Zuraida Kamaruddin who spearheads the Keadilan women's 'warrior' team.

Meanwhile WAC's representative Ivy Josiah told the crowd, "We support the families of the ISA detainees and call for the abolishment of the ISA".

About 30 minutes later, four police officers arrived at the scene and told the crowd to disperse. However, representatives from rights' group Suaram, S Arutchelvan and Lee Siew Hwa, negotiated with them and the policemen left.

Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) commissioner Zainah Anwar and a Suhakam official Chu Heng Kiam were also present at the gathering.

"We're just here as observers," Chu told malaysiakini .

The crowd heard speeches from several people, including Keadilan Women chief Fuziah Salleh, families and friends of the ISA detainees.

'Power crazy'

"The leaders are power-crazy. However, even if they take in all our heroes, the women will continue the struggle," she said, referring to the four reformasi activists who were sent to the Kamunting detention camp.

On Saturday, Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib and social activists-cum- malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais were sent to the camp on the orders of the Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The four were among 10 people detained under the ISA for allegedly planning to topple the government through 'militant means'. Two were freed by the Shah Alam High Court last week while another detainee was released by the police this Saturday.

Emilia Badaruddin, the daughter of human rights activists Badaruddin Ismail who is still in police custody, told the crowd that she is proud of her father.

"The ISA is inhumane. We have to fight this cruelty against our heroes. I urged the Home Affairs Minister to release all of them," she cried.

A student, who spoke on behalf of the family and friends of another detainee, Hishamuddin Rais, said that Isham, as he is fondly known, is innocent and just an ordinary writer.

"We love and miss him very much. We urge the authorities to free them all because they have done nothing wrong," she said, and got the crowd to sing a reformasi anthem entitled Suara Rakyat .

Peace walk

At 3.30pm, the crowd walked to the StarHill shopping mall on Jalan Bukit Bintang and shouted slogans such as: "Abolish ISA", "Reformasi" and "Mahathir resign".

When they arrived at the Starhill shopping complex, they were approached by police officers who told them to disperse on the grounds that they did not have a police permit and had been given the opportunity to gather at KLCC.

The officer, who was in plainclothes, refused to identify himself and threatened that if the group did not disperse he would have to take action.

About 10 Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel with rotan sticks were stationed outside the shopping complex.

Keadilan vice-president Irene Fernandez then addressed the crowd and told them before they dispersed that she has a message from ISA detainees Ezam and Chua.

"Ezam says to the young, 'You must free Malaysia' and to the old, 'Do not give up your struggle'," said Fernandez.

"Tian (Chua) says, 'Thank you for your support, we are fine, continue to maintain high spirit and go on with the struggle'," she added.

(Pictures courtesy of Zakiah Koya)