Eighty non-governmental organisations, including trade unions, student bodies and political parties from Barisan Alternatif (BA), will launch a movement in Kuala Lumpur tonight to call for the release of the 10 detainees held under the Internal Security Act.

The initiative, called the 'Abolish ISA Movement', will also push for the abolishment of the Act, said to be 'draconian' as it allows for detention without trial for an indefinite period of time.

Tonight's event, for which the organisers expect 4,000 people to turn up, including families of the detainees, will be launched by PAS president and opposition leader Fadzil Noor.

"There will be a very good cross-section of the community who will be attending tonight's event as there will be groups from Muslim and Christian non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Chinese and Indian community groups, student activists and women's groups," said Zahir Hassan, chairperson of the movement's launching and events committee.

The event will see the launching of the movement's logo, theme and postcards to protest against the ISA, and speeches by past detainees and well as wives of the present ones.

NGO resolution

Meanwhile, the Women's section of Jemaah Islaah Malaysia (JIM), a Muslim NGO, today said the ISA "violates the fundamental rights of individuals and the principle of justice as outlined in the Holy Qu'ran and the As-Sunnah".

"Wanita JIM calls upon all concerned Malaysian citizens, especially women, to uphold their rights and oppose all forms of injustices," said JIM's women's central committee member Dr Harlina Haliza Siraj said her statement.

In another development, a conference by Asia-Pacific NGOs being held in Kathmandu, Nepal, passed a resolution calling on the Malaysian government to immediately and unconditionally release all the 10 ISA detainees.

The 'World Conference Against Racism', being attended by 160 representatives from Asia-Pacific NGOs said in its resolution passed yesterday, "there is genuine concern among the Malaysians that the misapplication of affirmative action programmes has led to the usurpation of the interests of the majority by an elite which manipulates communal sentiments for its own survival".

The police on April10 and 11 arrested seven reformasi activists under the ISA for allegedly planning to topple the government through militant tactics and mass street demonstrations.

They are Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, party Youth leaders Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Abdul Ghani Haroon and N Gobalakrishnan, Free Anwar Campaign (Freeanwar.com) webmaster Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin and social activist-cum-malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais.

Two other Keadilan leaders, Dr Badrul Amin Baharom and Lokman Adam, were arrested on April 20 and 23 respectively while human rights activist Badaruddin Ismail was held on April 26.