The last woman detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) was yesterday released from Taiping Detention Centre, Kamunting.
The 48-year-old detainee held for 217 days for human traficking described the detention centre as the best place to undergo the rehabilitatiion process.
“I thank god for giving me the chance to return to my family and society. I want to repent and won’t repeat the mistake.
“As Malaysian citizens, we have to be loyal to our country,” she told reporters at Taiping Detention Centre.
The woman released at 4.30pm did not want to dwell on the past and want to build a new life with her two sons, aged 29 and 25 years-old respectively.
While in detention, the former shipping clerk learnt handicraft skills, attended religion, science and other classes to keep herself busy.
She thanked the Home Minister, officers and staff of the detention centre and Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) for making it possible.
The woman who should have been detained two years under ISA was held on April 7. She was among four women detained at Taiping Detention Centre since ten years ago. Three of them had been released.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the woman’s release was made conditionally and based on evaluation of religious, psychological and counseling aspects.
“Detention of subjects under ISA was made in accordance with the government stand to maintain security and public order and to allow further investigation,” he said.
Taiping detention centre director Mohd Roslen Ramly said the number of detainees undergoing rehabilitation at the centre stood at 37.
Of the number, 14 are Malaysian citizens while 23 are foreign nationals.
“Thirty are here for human trafficking, two for falsifying documents and five for their ideology namely Jemaah Islamiyah Malaysia and Jemaah Santri Melayu,” he added.
– Bernama