The ongoing hunger strike by six Internal Security Act detainees at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak is a violation of regulations and procedures, said Deputy Home Affairs Minister Chor Chee Heung today.

By going on hunger strike, they are definitely violating camp regulations and procedures.

We are going to observe the developments but if they want to go on a hunger strike we cannot stop them, we cannot insist that they eat, the deputy minister told malaysiakini.

According to the rules and regulations under the ISA, detainees who refuse without any reasonable excuse to eat the food provided in the place of detention are construed as committing an offence.

It is punishable by confinement in a punishment cell and the deprivation of, among others, visitors, books or clothings.

Asked if action would be taken against the detainees, Chor said this was at the discretion of the camps authorities.

He also added that the six would be given medical attention if the need arises.

The government is ready to help them and food would be served as usual, nothing would be done to deny them their usual rights.

If their lives are in danger due to their hunger strike, there would be a medical team there to help them, stressed Chor.

Family visits

The detainees began their hunger strike yesterday — in conjunction with the first anniversary of their detention — to highlight their demand to be released or charged in an open court.

The six — Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Dr Badrul Amin Bahron, Lokman Nor Adam and malaysiakini columnist-cum- filmmaker Hishamuddin Rais — were arrested for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government via militant means.

They are currently serving a two-year detention order at Kamunting.

It was reported earlier that when the detainees announced their decision to hold the strike, Kamunting officials had warned them not to carry it out or risk being denied visits from family members and lawyers.

However, th detaineess families are planing to visit them this Sunday.

Commenting on this, Chors colleague, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Zainal Abidin Zin said family visits could still go on if they were already mentioned in the schedule.

The visits would have to follow regulations and if they have already been planned, then the families can go ahead (and visit), he told malaysiakini.

Asked if the authorities would accede to the detainees demands, Zainal replied: The government put them in there in the first place without elaborating.

On the hunger strike, the deputy minister said, We usually give them a choice to eat or not, and we would not stop them, it is their choice.

Kamunting commandant Abdul Basir Muhamad could not be reached for comment.

Yesterday, opposition leaders and reformasi supporters handed a memorandum endorsed by 82 organisations to the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) urging it to secure the sixs freedom. The detainees family, friends and supporters are also staging a hunger strike outside the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.