Gerakan welcomed the release of the 13 ISA detainees and urged the government to release the rest who are not involved in terrorism activities.

Party secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow said the 13 to be released should not be subjected to harsher conditions, as it would be against the spirit of democracy.

When Hindraf duo, V.Ganabatirao and R.Kengadharan were released last month, they were subjected to a number of harsh conditions. They cannot leave the districts they live in, must be back home by 7pm, must get written permission from the district police to leave the districts and cannot give any press conference, take part in gatherings of more than five people or take part in organised political activities.

Teng said Gerakan’s policy was that the draconian Internal Security Act should be replaced with an anti-terrorism law akin to the one in the United Kingdom.

“We have always been firm in opposing the abuse of the ISA. Party president Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and other central leaders have been consistently asking for a review of the ISA, through internal channels, while publicly they have called for the release of detainees who are not involved in terrorism activities,” said Teng.

In fact, Teng said Gerakan had supported to the government to set up a Law Reform Commission to review the ISA. “Our central legal and human rights bureau is currently working on a memorandum for a total review of the ISA so that the law would only be applied to terrorist activities,” said Teng.

Those to be released are Zulkepli Marzuki, Jeknal Adil, Azmi Pindatun, P Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, T Vasanthakumar, Zainun Rasyhid, Aboud Ghafar Ismail, Sufian Salih, Hasim Talib, Abdul Jamal Azahari Yusof Mohd Salam and Husin Alih.