If so-called 'senior militant' leaders can walk free , why are the rest of us still being held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for more than three years?

This is the question several detainees are asking following the recent release of two allegedly high-ranking Jemaah Islamiah (JI) leaders, Wan Min Wan Mat and Mohd Iqbal Abdul Rahman .

They are also anxious to meet with the Parliamentary human rights caucus, which they are hoping will help them secure an early release.

Contacted today, the disgruntled detainees's lawyer, Edmund Bon, said his clients feel they are being made scapegoats to fuel the war against terrorism and ties between Malaysia and the United States.

He said even Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, who was the suspected spiritual leader of JI, was cleared of all terrorism charges while alleged JI leaders in Thailand had also been acquitted of any wrongdoing.

In view of this, Bon stressed that the detainees, who were all detained on terrorism related charges, be charged in court or released unconditionally.

"According to my clients, (the police) special branch told some of them that they will not be released because developments outside the country is ' panas ' (hot)," he said.

ISA, a security law crafted to deal with the Communist insurgency decades ago, allows the authorities to hold suspects without trial.

Parliamentary caucus

Bon said the detainees are looking forward to meet with the parliamentary human rights caucus to air their grouses.

The caucus will visit the Kamunting detention camp in Perak soon, where ISA detainees are held, to gather feedback on conditions there.

Bon said his clients are hoping the caucus will help them obtain an early release since its head, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, had previously promised to do so for detainees who are no longer considered a security threat.

Apart from the minister, the bi-partisan parliamentary caucus comprises a handful of parliamentarians including Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang.

"When I conveyed the news that the caucus is going to visit, the detainees' eyes lit up and they felt more spirited," said the lawyer, who met his clients on Tuesday.

Apart from looking forward to an early release, the detainees are also hoping the caucus could help improve the 'deteriorating' conditions at Kamunting.

Solitary confinement

Other complaints, related by Bon, include a group of 11 detainees being held in solitary confinement for six months as punishment for their involvement in two riots at the centre last December.

He said this breached the Internal Security (Detained Persons) Rules 1960, which stipulates that a detainee can be held in these 'punishment cells' for a maximum of five and seven days for minor of aggravated offences respectively.

"Moreover, such punishment may only be meted out after a due inquiry. There was no inquiry or hearing," he added.

Detainees in solitary confinement are forced to sleep on cement floors. There is no light in the cell and its occupant is also subjected to a 'punishment diet'.

Other complaints are letters being screened and detainees told to re-write them, news of a relative's illness or death is communicated late and being handcuffed when taken for medical attention.

"The detainees feel they are being treated like convicts rather than administrative detainees who are not convicted," said Bon.

The parliamentary caucus earlier urged ISA detainees to file their complaints, via their families..

The caucus has been seeking to visit the camp for the past six months following the riots incidents that left several detainees and camp personnel injured.

Overpopulated centre

In a related development, Opposition Leader Lim said in a statement today that the Simpang Renggam detention centre in Johor is overpopulated, among others.

He added that 48 percent of the detainees held there are Indian Malaysians.

Lim, together with nine other human rights caucus members paid a three-hour visit to the centre on Tuesday and spoke with the detainees.

"The common and greatest concern of all the detainees is the uncertainty of their detention, as their two-year detention could be extended indefinitely," he said.

According to him, there are 1,600 detainees held there without trial under the Emergency Ordinance and Dangerous Drugs Act.