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Malaysian government releases detained activists

"There's great happiness in the opposition because we're free, but we'll continue our fight for social and political change."

Saari Sungib, former detainee

Malaysia's political opposition on Monday reveled in the release of three key activists imprisoned for two years without trial for allegedly plotting street violence to topple Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's government.

Human rights groups and political analysts said the release demonstrated that Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who controls detentions under Malaysia's security laws, hopes to cultivate a reputation for fairness before he succeeds Mahathir in October.

However, they warned that Abdullah was unlikely to stop using the Internal Security Act, a 43-year-old relic of British colonial rule which allows detention orders that are not subject to judicial review and are renewable indefinitely.

Government orders detaining the three men under the security act expired Sunday, and Home Ministry Secretary-General Aseh Che Mat said authorities had decided not to extend the term. He gave no explanation.

Detainee Saari Sungib, who was handed back to his family late Sunday, told The Associated Press he believed the decision stemmed from growing pressure by local and international groups for the detainees' release.

"There's great happiness in the opposition because we're free, but we'll continue our fight for social and political change," said Saari, a member of the opposition National Justice Party's decision-making body.

The three detainees were among six opposition activists arrested in April 2001, accused by police of planning violent protests to oust Mahathir's government and seeking to buy weapons and explosives. The group denies the accusations.

Two of them, also being held in Kamunting, will have their detention orders expire in mid-June. Another is being held in a separate prison after being convicted separately of leaking state secrets.

Selva Arutchelvam of the Malaysian human rights group Suaram said the release would have inspired more optimism if it had occurred sooner. "The entire detention had been unjustified," he said.

P. Ramasamy, a political scientist at the National University of Malaysia, said Abdullah seemed "keen to show he's fair and responsible so that he'll have a good image, both within Malaysia and internationally."

"But there's no doubt the government will some day use the Internal Security Act again against the opposition," Ramasamy said, stressing that Mahathir also raised hopes of a more liberal rule when he took office in 1981 by releasing dozens of security detainees.
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