Human rights movement Suaram today reminded the government that 19 years after the 'dark days' of Operasi Lalang when 106 Malaysians were arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), opposition to the draconian act has only grown stronger.

In a statement issued in conjunction with the 19th anniversary of the operation, Suaram - itself formed by those who had been detained under the ISA, the Detainees' Family Support Group and other activists - called on the government to "hurl the ISA into the garbage bin."

"Since (Operasi Lalang), the opposition and protest against the inhumane ISA has heightened. Today, at least 83 Malaysian organisations have expressed their opposition to the ISA and are committed to the campaign for its abolition," said Suaram in a statement signed by campaign coordinator E Nalini.

Among those groups, said Suaram, is the government's own Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) which has called for the repeal of "this anti-human rights law."

Since the ISA was enacted in 1960, every prime minister has used the act to arrest dissidents of "all races, religious backgrounds, and walks of life," said the statement.

Detainees have been subjected to torture, it added, but to date, their torturers have never been brought to justice. None of those arrested during Operasi Lalang, furthermore, were tried or found guilty of any offence by a court of justice.

While welcoming the release last week of 17 ISA detainees alleged to be linked either to the Kumpulan Militan Malaysia or the Jemaah Islam on the eve of Hari Raya, Suaram said it condemned the continued detention of the remaining detainees.

"While Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has called for two Malaysians in (Cuba's) Guantanamo Bay to be given a fair trial, he has turned a deaf ear to calls for the same to about 100 ISA detainees who are still being detained in the Kamunting detention camp (in Perak)."

80 still under detention

To date, there are still about 80 detainees - held without trial for various reasons - at Kamunting.

Suaram called for:

- the abolishment of ISA and forms of detention without trial;

- the release of all ISA detainees or charge them in an open and fair trail;

- set up an independent public inquiry for those have been tortured and abused under the abuse, and compensate and their families the sufferings incurred;

- use the present criminal laws to deal with the crimes pertaining to national security and to

- restore the independence of the judiciary to curb abuse of power by the government or the police.