Student organisations across Asia have called for the abolishment of the Internal Security Act (ISA) which they deem to be "an instrument of tyranny" that has caused much suffering to the people of Malaysia.

"The Asian Students' Associations (ASA), the International Union of Students, the World Federation Democratic Youth and the Non-aligned Youth and Students Organisation, have unanimously come to the conclusion that such kind of tyrannical Acts should be dismissed as soon as possible," ASA's secretary Keshav Pandey said in a statement today.

"Malaysian students, youth and all the people of Malaysia have suffered under the ISA since 1960 and this is 41 years too many. The ISA must be abolished," he said.

The statement was also endorsed by 16 other student organisations from Burma, the Philippines, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, Jordan, Nepal, Bhutan, Palestine and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, students in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and members of parliaments within the region have also called for the end of the 40-year-old Act which many have claimed to be archaic and a remnant of colonial British rule.

The controversial Act, which allows for detention without trial, has over the years been used to detain those whom the government classified as potential threats to national security and these included many opposition leaders.

'Prisoners of conscience'

In a recent crackdown launched on April 10, police detained 10 opposition leaders and reformasi activists under the ISA for allegedly planning to overthrow the government through militant means.

Four of them, Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib and social activist-cum- malaysiakini columnist Hishsmuddin Rais were transferred to the Kamunting detention centre in Perak last week where they would most likely be held for a period of two years.

Two other detainees, Keadilan leaders N Gobalakrishnan and Abdul Ghani Haroon were freed by the Shah Alam High Court on the grounds that their detention was unlawful whereas another two, Free Anwar Campaign webmaster Raja Petra Kamaruddin and human rights activist Badaruddin Ismail were released unconditionally by the police.

Those still in custody and whose fate remains unknown are Keadilan leaders Dr Badrul Amin Baharom and Lokman Noor Adam.

"Although four prisoners were recently released, students and youth of the Asia Pacific region and from around the world continue to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining ISA prisoners of conscience," Pandey said in his statement.

Last Friday, seven students were arrested for being involved in a peaceful demonstration against the ISA at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.