Open letter to Mahathir

Observing the seriousness that Malaysia's latest political situation has assumed, we, the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), herewith deem it necessary to respond to the development of this political situation.

The arrest and detention of pro-reform activists in Malaysia clearly shows that two political groups have made their presence felt -- the mass supporting Anwar Ibrahim and now already starting to launch their pro-reform actions on the one hand, and state violence in support of the status quo of the Mahathir Mohamad regime, on the other. The harsh measures taken by the Malaysian government, in this case the Mahathir Mohamad regime, have been shown not only in the arrest and dispersal of anti- Mahathir demonstrations on the basis of the Internal Security Act (ISA), but also in the acts of violence and torture taken by the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad against the pro- reform leader, Anwar Ibrahim, all serving as evidence of the brutal acts committed by the Malaysian government/Prime Minister Mahathir and signifying dictatorial practices.

According to PBHI, a political problem has been shifted into a personal one. On the one hand Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has been in power for a long time, wishes to maintain his power and status quo political interests and, on the other, former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has been dismissed on the basis of an allegation of a personal issue, namely being engaged in homosexual intercourse, while actually he is a figure capable of bringing together pro-reform forces in the interests of Malaysia's reform drive. Therefore, PBHI stresses that an obviously political problem has clearly been shifted into another non-political matter.

On the basis of the above matters, which show a close link to human rights violations, PBHI as a human rights organization wishes to convey the following:

First, the Malaysian government/the Mahathir regime has used power to arbitrarily arrest and detain citizens posing as their political foes. Obviously, in this regard, the Malaysian government/Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad have violated human rights, in terms of banning, obstructing and dispersing demonstrations as well as resorting to acts of violence such as arrest, torture and imprisonment of someone for an indefinite period, all being acts of brutality endangering human rights practices in Malaysia because they constitute gross violations of the rights of speech and assembly.

Second, the application of ISA, in which legal legitimacy has been used for the purpose of maintaining the status quo, has led to widespread violations of human rights. Therefore, PBHI also opposes the use of legal instruments to repress and arrest pro- reform activists, and launches its protest against the resort to ISA by the Malaysian government/Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, a condition similar to the resort to the anti-subversion law by former president Soeharto's regime in Indonesia.

Thirdly, herewith PBHI also asks the Malaysian government/Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to release without any condition former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters as well as all political detainees in Malaysia. Detaining someone on the grounds of a political difference contradicts human rights. In addition, we also suggest that Mr. Mahathir Mohamad, whose government resembles that of Soeharto's regime in Indonesia, should give up his position in the interests of the Malaysian people and in high esteem of the human rights.

HENDARDI

Chairman

Indonesian Legal Aid

and Human Rights

Association Executive Board

Jakarta