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Two days ago, Parti Keadilan National Youth chief Mohamad Ezam Mohd. Nor, vice-president Chua Tian Chang, supreme council member Saari Sungih, National Youth vice-chairman M. Gobalakrishnan, Youth exco member Abdul Ghani Harun, activist Hishamuddin Rais and Director of the Free Anwar campaign, Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin were detained under ISA.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister said that police had decided that prevention was better in the current situation and that they were not going to deal with this huge demonstration on the so-called Black 14 of April.
"Such demonstrations invariably result in violence and they don't know what kind of damage will be done. And as the police statement says, they have evidence that there are plans to use explosives and the like," he added.

We insist on the peaceful methods of doing things, parliamentary democracy and constitutional struggle. We believe in peaceful assemblies and are against violence.

That is why we feel that the Government should release the seven. Then, it should charge them in court, producing the evidence of wrong-doings against them.

SUHAKAM'S PART

ISA is draconian. It is detention without trial. Even if the detainees are innocent, they cannot take actions against the Government.
DAP National Chairman Lim Kit Siang suggests that the Human Rights Commission, Suhakam, send a delegation to meet the Home Minister on the detention. But, Dr Mahathir insists that the police is fully responsible for national security, not Suhakam.

Suhakam's part is not just to educate the people about human rights, but also to investigate instances of their abuse.

We would like to see national security, but we also abhor the abuse of powers including using ISA to detain people.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw