Malaysia frees activists

Saari Sungib was the first activist to be released

The Malaysian government has released three opposition activists who were detained for more than two years ago under the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA).

One of the detainees was released on Sunday, and two other prisoners have been transferred to temporary police custody whilst their releases are finalised.

The detainees were arrested in April 2001 and accused of plotting to overthrow the government, charges they all denied.

The Malaysian government has come under increasing pressure internationally to release the activists, as well as three others who remain in custody.

Detainee Saari Sungib was the first of the activists to be released on Sunday.

"There is great happiness in the opposition because we are free, but we will continue our fight for social and political change," Mr Sungib told a press conference after his release.

The opposition has lost a lot of ground, partly because of the government's repressive measures

Cynthia Gabriel, human rights activist

Mr Sungib, and the other detainees, Tian Chua and Hishammudin Rais, all played a leading role in the opposition Keadilan, or National Justice Party.

Keadilan is the party of Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy Prime Minister who is currently serving a nine year sentence for sodomy.

The BBC correspondent in Kuala Lumpur says that the releases may mean that Home Minister Abdullah Badawi, who is due to take over as Prime Minister in October this year, is keen to boost his image internationally and show that he will usher in a more tolerant era.

International rights group Amnesty International had adopted the activists as prisoners of conscience, and only last week lawmakers from several countries including Denmark, Britain and the Netherlands had signed a petition asking for their release.

Cynthia Gabriel of the Malaysian human rights group Suaram told the BBC's East Asia Today programme that she thought that public pressure was a key factor in the release of the men.

But she also acknowledged that this was also an indication that the government was more confident of their position and therefore less threatened by the opposition.

"The opposition has lost a lot of ground, partly because of the government's repressive measures... which included the incarceration of these men," she said.

Security laws

Malaysia's security laws date from 1960, a time when the country was locked in a bloody struggle with communist guerrillas.

It allows for suspects to be held for up to two years if they are deemed to threaten national security.

Police are not required to prove any wrongdoing and detention orders can be extended indefinitely and are difficult to challenge.

Critics say it is used by the government to lock up political opponents.

But supporters of the act believe it is essential to counter terrorism.