Sukaham will accept the 'Black 14' memorandum this Saturday despite the arrests of the key organisers of the event under the Internal Security Act (ISA), a commissioner told reporters today.

"Suhakam has given a reply stating that it would be accepting the memorandum this Saturday at our office so we will be here to accept it," commissioner Salleh Mohd Nor said after receiving a complaint lodged by family members of four ISA detainees.

The 'Black 14' gathering, organised by reformasi activists, is to mark the second anniversary of jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's sentencing for abuse of power. While a small delegation will be handing the memorandum to Suhakam, others are encouraged to attend the event as a show of support.

Limited space

Seven reformasi activists have been arrested since yesterday in the bid to stop the planned gathering outside Suhakam headquarters at Menara Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur.

These include Saari Sungib, organiser of the Saturday's event, Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, the party's Youth leaders, Ezam Mohd Nor, N Gobalakrishnan and Abdul Ghani Harun, Free Anwar Campaign (Freeanwar.com) webmaster Raja Petra Kamaruddin and former student leader and malaysiakini columnist Hishammuddin Rais.

Suhakam has sent an e-mail to Saari today stating that it was ready to accept the memorandum on Saturday.

"In reference to your email to Suhakam concerning the handing over of the April 14 People's Memorandum, we agree to receive on the day and time you have suggested," wrote Suhakam secretary Kamaruddin Mohammed Baria in the e-mail.

"However because of limited space, we hope that the delegation to meet with Suhakam would only be limited to 10. We also hope that you can control your supporters so that there be no problems arising at Menara Tun Razak and the surrounding areas."

Plan to go on

The government has claimed that the ISA arrests were to deter the reformasi activists' plan to topple the government.

Three Keadilan leaders vowed that they will press on with the plan to handover the memorandum this Saturday.

"We will continue even if there are more arrests," said Keadilan supreme council member and activist Irene Fernandez.

Party's women's chief Fuziah Salleh expressed regret over the arrests but stated that Suhakam was already prepared to accept the memorandum and that this was not against the law.

"This is the right of the Malaysian people. The police should make sure that the peace is kept when the memorandum is being handed over and not make such arrests," Fuziah said.