Civil group Suaram today in its annual review on the state of human rights in Malaysia described 2001 as "a bad year" for the country and warned of even gloomier days ahead.

Suaram director Kua Kia Soong said this year was punctuated by a series of arbitrary detention without trial and the curtailment to fundamental freedom.

"If we don't do something about it, we may be heading for stormy weather at the rate things are going," he told a press conference at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur.

Statistics revealed that 2,520 people were held this year without trial under various preventive detention laws.

Of this figure, 77 were detained under the controversial Internal Security Act; 1,642 under the Dangerous Drugs Act for preventive purpose; 309 under the Emergency Ordinance; 159 under the Restricted Residence Act; and 333 under the Crime Prevention Act.

Kua said the country's history has shown that more opposition leaders would get arrested when there are elections looming ahead and this was true with a July by-election in Sabah and the Sept Sarawak state elections.

"People are already talking about snap elections before 2004," he said.

Kua took a swipe at Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who repeatedly said the West - which once blamed the government for the use of ISA and violation of human rights - is now learning from Malaysia on how to deal with terrorism.

"It is a serious misinformation because even though the United States and Britain have made new legislation, those are not meant to detain their own citizens without trial," he said.

He said Mahathir's recent declaration that Malaysia is already an Islamic state, though viewed as an attempt to win back support from the Malay-Muslims in the country, was "alarming" because it could affect the socio-cultural rights of non-Muslim minorities.

Suhakam slammed

The former member of parliament also chided the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) for backing down when it was accused of being "western-influenced" in its two landmark reports on freedom of assembly and a peaceful assembly late last year.

The first report called for a more conducive environment for peaceful assemblies while the second held police responsible for "using excessive force" during the Nov 5 gathering at Kesas Highway last year.

"Suhakam chairperson Musa Hitam recently said human rights should take a backseat as national security shall take precedence following the terror attacks on the US. It is unbecoming for him to say that," said Kua.

"Several other commissioners were just as disturbing when they said the ISA is still needed in the country and demonstration is not part of Malaysian culture," he added.

Suaram's 150-page report on human rights was compiled in conjunction with Human Rights Day - which falls on Dec 10 - and is expected to be launched early next year.

In the executive summary of the Suaram report released today, it was said that the number of human rights grievances handled by the commission outnumbered the investigations it conducted.

"One of them, which stands unresolved, is the tragic incident of Kampung Medan clashes (early March) where six people died and scores injured during an alleged inter-racial clash," read the summary.

Arbitrary detention

On arbitrary detention, it said the ISA was used to "systematically crackdown on dissidents and opposition" and to conduct religious-based arrests.

In April, 10 pro-reform activists, mostly Keadilan leaders, were arrested under the ISA for allegedly trying to overthrow the government through street demonstrations and violent means.

Four were released later but the others were sent for a two-year detention in Kamunting, Perak in June.

Two university students were also arrested under the ISA in July with no reasons given. The duo was subsequently released about a month later.

Many of the ISA detainees claimed that they were tortured and humiliated by police during interrogations unrelated to the allegations for which they were detained.

One Shiah faith member was detained in March for two years for propagating 'deviationist' teachings, while five were arrested in June for allegedly being involved in internationally-linked Islamic groups which were responsible for several unsolved crimes.

Sixteen people, mostly PAS members, who were alleged to be part of the Malaysian Mujahidin Group were arrested in August and September over the bombing of a church and a temple, a spate of bank robberies and the assassination of a politician.

"The Sept 11 attacks provided further fodder for the government to not only arrest arbitrarily but also to justify the use of draconian laws," lamented the report summary.

Up till mid-November this year, Suaram reported that 400 arrests were made by police in connection to peaceful assemblies.

Media shackled

As for freedom of expression, the media was said to have experienced further restraints when two Chinese newspapers were acquired by the investment arm of MCA, the second largest political party in the ruling coalition.

Suaram also noted that the government had cited existing media laws as inadequate to monitor online contents and may "unleash another set of missiles" on Internet publications.

"In August, the blitz against producers and sellers of pirated movies and pornography on video compact discs was also extended to include material with political content," it said.

It was reported that freedom of association was curbed when amendments were made to the Registration of Business Act in order to check on the mushrooming of vocal non-governmental organisations.

Currently, many NGOs are registered as businesses due to the difficulties and tight conditions they face in getting registered under the Registration of Societies Act.

Suaram pointed out that in the past two months, university students and lecturers were expelled after they were found to be involved in 'anti-government' activities.

They were also warned to behave themselves and told to adopt a "good conduct" agreement. Last week, Cuepacs, the umbrella body to some 850,000 civil servants accepted a good conduct pledge to the government.

Travel ban

On freedom of movement, it was reported that 78 locals were banned from going abroad for having tarnished Malaysia's image on previous trips, while 2,910 foreigners have been barred from entering the country, one of them being Mabel Au, Hong Kong-born fiancee of detained Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua.

The summary added that there are 159 people currently on death row pending appeal in the Court of Appeal, some of whom have been languishing in jail for over a decade after being sentenced to death.

Suaram also documented that at least 11 people were shot dead by police in the first 11 months this year, including many who were suspected of drug dealing and armed robberies.