KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 13, 2012): A former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee has questioned the continued detention of 30 people at the Kamunting detention centre in Perak despite the repeal of the draconian law last April.

Fadzullah Abdul Razak, who was among 12 people released from Kamunting on Aug 17, said the question is pertinent as it has been almost a year since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak announced the abolition of the ISA.

Fadzullah was speaking at a press conference called by the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI) at Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall today.

Farida Mohammad and Sivamalar Genapathy from Lawyers for Liberty, who were also present at the press conference, said they visited the detention centre on Wednesday and were allowed to meet only 12 detainees.

Farida said one of the detainees, Razali Kassan, has been diagnosed with kidney stones.

“As a result, he has strict dietary needs. But he has to use his own money to buy food at the detention centre’s canteen as the centre does not provide the kind of food he needs,” Farida said.

Sivamalar spoke about Sami Hamad, an alleged human smuggler from Iran.

“He has to take sleeping pills and anti-depressants due to the ill-treatment he had suffered in detention,” she said.

She added that she was informed by the authorities that four of the detainees had refused to see her and Farida but they “had doubts about this as these detainees previously welcomed our visits”.

Meanwhile, GMI chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh criticised an English daily for allegedly reporting that detainees at Kamunting are still carrying out criminal activities from behind the bars, through the use of telephones.

“This report condemns the ISA detainees as criminals even though they have not been convicted in court.

“It shows the police’s failure to prevent crime even in a detention centre and it questions the wisdom of repealing the ISA, thus justifying arrest without due process,” said Syed.

14 September 2012 – 11:16am, Azizul Rahman