When the Malaysian government recently arrested activists under the dreaded Internal Security Act, common to both Malaysia and $heep City $ingapore, Malaysian civil society reacted strongly. There was silence in $heep City, $ingapore. In fact, $ingapore's Think Centre celebrated Human Rights Day, Dec 15, without a mention of the Malaysian arrests. So much for Asean solidarity and human rights.

Below is the open letter from Amnesty, Malaysia.

Dec 13: Amnesty International Malaysia is extremely regretful that after 50 years of independence, and on the 20th anniversary of Operasi Lallang, the Malaysian government has yet again resorted to using the Internal Security Act (ISA) to suppress peaceful political, academic and social activities, and legitimate constructive criticism by NGOs and other social pressure groups. Today's ISA arrests are clearly meant to limit the political space for important debates on issues of economic policy, corruption and other social challenges.

Furthermore for years, human rights activists around the world have condemned the ISA as contrary to international standards, including the right to liberty of the person, to freedom from arbitrary arrest, to be informed of the reasons for arrest, to the presumption of innocence, and to a fair and open trial in a court of law. It is ironic that as a current member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Government of Malaysia sees fit to still employ this draconian piece of legislation.

Amnesty International Malaysia is also extremely concerned at this juncture because the ISA is also an indisputable symbol of torture. Earlier this year, the court judgment on former ISA detainee Malek Hussin confirmed that torture and ill-treatment happens in ISA detention. We are of the view that the risk of torture and ill-treatment increases when detainees were held incommunicado, with no regular access to detainees by legal counsel, medical practitioners and family members as it happens in the first 60 days of the ISA detention.

Amnesty International Malaysia asserts that the ISA is an arbitrary law that creates a climate for torture and ill-treatment as well as impunity in Malaysia. We assert that the ISA is the biggest symbol of torture and injustice in Malaysia and we hereby call on the executive to abolish the ISA and rectify the culture of impunity that exists in Malaysia.

We also call on the executive to implement the Royal Commissions' recommendations to enhance Special Branch accountability by giving it expression in law, either as a separate act or in the Police Act with limited function and powers be initiated. It is also urgent for the executive to implement the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to investigate such abuses in the future.

Shanon Shah bin Mohd. Sidik
Executive Director
Amnesty International Malaysia