The Malaysian People’s Party (Parti Rakyat Malaysia - PRM) strongly condemns the detention of Hj Saari Hj Sungib, President of Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM), under the ISA. He is 42 and was detained just after returning from a visit of his wife who was warded in a hospital.

The ISA is an obnoxious piece of legislation which contradicts the very spirit of justice upheld by Islam, which is our official religion, as well

as other great religions in this country. It allows for arbitrary and indefinite detention without trial. Although recently a number of ISA detainees were released after being held for only around ten days, yet their short detention does not reduce the repressive nature of the act.There have been those detained under the ISA for up to 15 years.

We demand that the ISA be repealed.

We urge the government to release unconditionally all ISA detainees, including Anwar Ibrahim, Hj Saari Hj Sungib and, Ruslan Kassim, as soon as possible.

Dr Syed Husin Ali
Presiden PRM
14 Oktober 1998

Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM)
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