It was drizzling that misty morning in Alor Setar.

The elderly couple stretch as they get off the bus, about six hours after leaving Hentian Duta in Kuala Lumpur.

Usually, their first stop after alighting would be the religious school in front of the Alor Setar prison. There, they would perform the subuh (pre-dawn) prayers and await day break.

Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid and his wife Siti Aishah Itam will stay there until 8am. It is their usual routine.

They make the journey to visit their son, Murtaza, who is now detained at the prison under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Murtaza was arrested under suspicion of involvement with the Islamic State (IS).

Siti Aishah could not say much when met by Malaysiakini, but tears flowed incessantly.

"I usually cry when I meet him, and he too cried non-stop.

"But after a while, I can see that he is getting better at controlling his emotions," she said.

"Each time I see him I will ask how he is, and I will ask him to pray, read the Quran often, be patient and always seek God's help."

Mustaza's arrest was among the worst experience of Siti Aishah's life.

But as a Muslim, she accepts it as God's will and hopes she will see Mustaza freed in her lifetime.

"Since I received the phone call informing me he was arrested, I have not stopped praying for him.

"I am confident he is innocent. I weep every time I think of him," she said, wiping the tears flowing down her cheeks.

Made 16 bus trips to Alor Setar

Since Mustaza, 29, was arrested last June, the couple have made the bus trip to Alor Setar 16 times. Each return trip costs RM300.

Each time they will bring an overnight bag, remembering to pack a change of clothes, telekong (prayer attire), toothpaste and toothbrush.

They depart at about 11.30pm and arrive in the Kedah capital at 5am. After meeting Mustaza, they will take the 12.30pm bus to arrive in Kuala Lumpur about 7pm.

Abdul Rahman, 62, said the thought of seeing their fourth-born eases the fatigue.

"We don't feel tired because of Mustaza. It is sometimes chilly when we arrive in Alor Setar, especially when it rains, but that's fine," the former police officer said.

Abdul Rahman said he is fortunate that his pension can fund their weekly routine, but he hopes they will no longer need to take this journey.

He wants his son freed, if only for the sake of his two-year-old grandchild.

The little girl has not seen her father for some time because there are bureaucratic hurdles. The family needs to get a written permission from the police district chief.

"She misses her father. She is often unwell," said Abdul Rahman.

More than 200 suspected of having ties to IS have been detained in Malaysia since 2013.

In August police arrested nine, including two local suspects of the grenade attack on a pub in Puchong, Selangor.

Others arrested include a 17-year-old in Sabah, who was believed to be planning an attack on non-Muslims after communicating with an IS member in Syria.