FAC News - Sunday, November 4, 2001 11:59 AM

Dr Badrulamin to report to the Gombak Police Station today

Supporters to assemble at the Al-Syarkirin Mosque in Gombak at 4.00pm

Today, before 6.00pm, Dr Badrulamin Bahron will have to report to the Gombak Police Station. Opposition leaders and supporters are being urged to assemble at the Al-Syarkirin Mosque in Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, at 4.00pm to escort Dr Badrulamin to the police station.

Dr Badrulamin, one of the six National Justice Party (keADILan) and Reformasi activists detained indefinitely under the Internal Security Act (ISA) at the Kamunting Detention Centre, was released conditionally at 5.30pm yesterday. Amongst the conditions of his release are:

1. He would be placed under restricted residence in the Gombak area in Kuala Lumpur and would not be allowed to leave the area without police approval. If he leaves the area, he would face arrest and would be charged in court. (Dr Badrulamin lives in Kepong, another part of Kuala Lumpur, so he would have to now move to Gombak to comply with the terms of his release).

2. He will be confined to his house and is to remain indoors from 10.00pm every night to 6.00am the next morning and is not allowed to leave his house without police approval.

3. He must report to the nearest police station by or before 6.00pm every Monday and sign the register book.

4. Dr Badrulamin is also not allowed to hold any party post, be involved in any political activities, act as an adviser to any political party, or give talks in a public rally.

Word was first received at about 2.30pm yesterday that Dr Badrul would be released from detention. Family members and supporters rushed to Kamunting so that they could greet him as he emerges from the detention camp gate.

About 70 to 80 supporters, keADILan leaders and Reformasi activists, were waiting outside the gate - amongst them were State Assemblyman Azmin Ali, Women’s Wing Leader Fuziah Salleh, party Treasurer Abdul Rahman Othman, and Supreme Council Members Ng Lum Yong, Sahri Bahari and Johari Abdul.

Due to this "crowd", the camp authorities would not let him walk out and instead took him to the Taiping bus station about 20 minutes away and released him there. Dr Badrul’s family was still on the way and had not arrived yet then.

On realising that Dr Badrulamin would not be released outside the gate, the supporters trailed the prison car. They then brought him back to Kuala Lumpur where he was finally able to meet up with about 15 of his family members at about 9.00pm.

For about a week now it was rumoured that Dr Badrulamin would be released though this could not be confirmed. In fact, the rumour was that about four detainees would be released and it is hoped that more of the remaining five would be released soon.

Dr Badrulamin was amongst ten keADILan leaders and Reformasi activists arrested in April this year under Malaysia’s infamous and dreaded Internal Security Act that allows for arrest and indefinite detention without trial. Four were eventually released – two by the Shah Alam Court – while six were sent to the Kamunting Detention Centre under a two-year detention order that can be extended indefinitely.

It is estimated that more than 5,000 people have so far been arrested under the ISA and about 100 still remain under detention in the Kamunting Detention Centre.