Malaysia: Thousands in candle-light march against Internal Security Act, opposition MP's home firebombed

September 27, 2008: More than 2,000 Malaysians staged a peaceful march through the streets of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, calling for the repeal of the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), which has been used recently to imprison activists, bloggers, journalists and even an opposition MP without trial. But on the same day, an opposition MP and former ISA detainee, had her home firebombed.
The protest was organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), as well as rights groups Suaram and the Abolish ISA Movement, they called for the removal of the ISA, which allows for detention without trial. The protest also demanded the release of 65 detainees.

Earlier this month, the authorities detained three people under the ISA: a reporter and an opposition MP lawmaker who were later released, as well as prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who was sentenced to a two-year detention order in the notorious Kamunting detention centre.
In a disturbing development on the same day as the protest, two Molotov cocktails were thrown into the family home of an opposition MP Teresa Kok in Kuala Lumpur. Ms Kok was detained on September 12 under the ISA but later released.
The opposition MP's parents live in the house at Jalan Ipoh together with her siblings. However, no one was hurt in the incident.
Early last month, Molotov cocktails were thrown at Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan's former residence after he participated in a forum on intermarriages.
The previous time the ISA was used was when five Hindraf leaders were detained in December last year, after the group staged a massive protest to defend the rights of Malaysia's Hindu minority.
The five were sent to Kamunting for two years, and Hindraf plans to hold a large gathering to commemorate the first anniversary of their arrest.
The authorities maintain that the ISA is needed to fight terrorism and threats to national security, but critics - such as Suaram and the Abolish ISA Movement - say it is a tool manipulated by the government to silence critics and the opposition.
These groups have held weekly candlelight vigils in Kuala Lumpur and Penang this month. They plan to organise more anti-ISA protests in the coming months, but have yet to finalise details.
Human rights lawyer and blogger Haris Ibrahim, recently launched a petition to free ISA detainees on his site, aiming to get one million signatures.
The petition currently has around 34,000 signatories.
The anti-ISA movement promises to keep up the pressure by gathering 10,000 supporters at Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's traditional open house in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday - the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, according to a report in the Straits Times (Singapore). They are also planning to attend his open house in his Penang constituency of Kepala Batas on the second day of Hari Raya.
Sources: Straits Times (Singapore), Malaysiakini