Minister in Prime Minister's Department Bernard Dompok 'lied' when he said that there had been no detentions under the Internal Security Act (ISA) during the administration of premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abolish ISA Movement (AIM) chairperson Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said in a statement that Dompok's claim in Star yesterday was a "blatant lie" and provided statistics to back this.

The group has urged Dompok and the government to retract the comment and issue a public apology, especially to ISA detainees and their families.

Dompok reportedly said, as far as he knew, there had been no detention under the ISA since 2003, when Abdullah took over as prime minister and that the country has a more positive image with the rule of law being upheld.

AIM, however, pointed out that the number of arrests had increased from 12 people in 2004 to 20 in 2006, although the number of renewed detention orders and detainees at the Kamunting camp have been reduced. (See chart)

In 2004, detention orders were renewed for 25 people, compared to 18 last year. Currently, 90 people remain in detention in Kamunting, near Taiping in Perak.

Syed Ibrahim pointed out that four individuals were arrested for allegedly spreading rumours about racial riots in Johor Bahru recently.

Another five - Mohd Faizul Haji Samsudin, Mohd Amir Mohd Hanafiah, Ahmad Kamil Mohd Hanafiah, Zulkifli Abu Bakar and Mohd Noor Abu Bakar - were arrested for alleged involvement in regional militant group Jemaah Islamiah.

"The minister's statement is factually wrong (especially) when Abdullah as the internal security minister has personally signed the two-year renewal of detention orders of 73 ISA detainees since he came into power," said Syed Ibrahim.

"Many of these detainees are now (...) entering the fifth or sixth year at the Kamunting detention camp."

Abuse of power

Syed Ibrahim also expressed shock over Dompok's response to a view that the ISA is no longer relevant and should be abolished. Dompok reportedly said the ministry has had no opportunity to discuss "this particular matter" and that he wanted to "know more about it".

AIM - a coalition of 83 NGOs and community groups - have been actively campaigning against the ISA since 2001, calling for its abolition and all forms of detention without trial.

"Numerous reports and memoranda have been handed to Suhakam (the human rights commission), the PM's office and the internal security ministry, to abolish the ISA.

"More than three memoranda have been sent to the PM and the ministry over the past three years - (there has been no response to any of them)."

Syed Ibrahim stressed that ISA is not only unfair to the detainees, but is also one of the main causes of abuse of power.

"The lack of transparency and accountability and the secrecy of the use of the ISA provide a more than perfect environment for corruption, abuse of power and torture by the police as is evident and confirmed in the judgment in Malek's civil suit case," he added.

Dompok had also commented on ex-ISA detainee Abdul Malek Hussin's victory in the Kuala Lumpur High Court last week - he was awarded RM2.5 million in damages for unlawful arrest and detention, and for being beaten up while in custody in 1998.

The minister said this should be seen as wake-up call to law enforcers to ensure they do not infringe human rights, and that it is within any individual's rights to test if they have a caser in court.