FAC News - Thursday, February 28, 2002 4:43 PM

THE ISA HABEAS CORPUS APPEAL HEARING – Final Day – Opposition activists detained to "turn them over"

Ten National Justice Party leaders and Reformasi activists were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in April 2001 "to turn them over" the Kuala Lumpur Federal Court was told today during the final day of the hearing to consider the appeal to get their detention declared illegal.

According to Affidavits filed by the ten to support their application, they allege that they were asked questions related to Anwar Ibrahim’s sexual activities. The interrogators also wanted to know everything about the party including where it obtained its financing from.

The first 30 days of the interrogation involved digging into the affairs of the party and its leaders. The detainees were also asked about the party’s networking to assess its strength and support.

After that, the next 30 days were spent trying to "turn over" the detainees. The detainees were asked why they supported the opposition and not UMNO. The detainees were also shown "proof" that Anwar Ibrahim is an immoral person and the interrogators alleged that Anwar’s wife, party President Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, plus his daughter, Nurul Izzah, were equally immoral and "chased men".

The interrogators told the detainees that Wan Azizah made frequent trips overseas not to do party work or campaign for Anwar’s release from jail but "to have affairs with other men".

"There has been no credible denial of the Appellants’ evidence," argued the defence.

"From the evidence, we further invite the Court to further infer that the detentions were for purposes of exerting pressure on the Appellants to turn them over for political purposes."

"This was and is not legal," added the defence. "Any questioning, whether relevant or not, was mala fide even if it can be said that the detention was aimed at determining whether the Appellants would pose a threat to national security – which is denied."