Kamunting Detention Center
Encyclopedia
Kamunting Detention Centre (Malay: Kem Tahanan Perlindungan Kamunting) is a prison camp located in Kamunting
, near the town of Taiping, Perak
, in Malaysia. The prison is used by the government to detain and interrogate persons arrested under the Internal Security Act
(ISA). The detention is also known as Malaysia's Supermax
prison or Maximum security prison. It is alleged that this is the site where the Malaysian authorities would hold up political prisoner
s, usually from the opposition
, and conduct torture against detainees. Among notable events which prompted widespread use of the ISA were Operation Lalang
in 1987 and the years during the Reformasi movement
, beginning 1999. The centre has also been used to detain other groups of people declared by the government to be a threat to national security such as terrorists and cults. Some notable groups detained in Kamunting includes the Al-Arqam
cult and the Al-Ma'unah terrorist group.
Kamunting
Kamunting is the biggest satellite town in Taiping's Larut, Matang dan Selama district, Perak, Malaysia. It is also the biggest industrial town in Taiping and is famous mainly for being home to the Kamunting Detention Center a prison camp for detainees under the Internal Security Act, many of whom...
, near the town of Taiping, Perak
Taiping, Perak
Taiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 , it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh...
, in Malaysia. The prison is used by the government to detain and interrogate persons arrested under the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
(ISA). The detention is also known as Malaysia's Supermax
Supermax
Supermax is the name used to describe "control-unit" prisons, or units within prisons, which represent the most secure levels of custody in the prison systems of certain countries...
prison or Maximum security prison. It is alleged that this is the site where the Malaysian authorities would hold up political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s, usually from the opposition
Opposition (Malaysia)
The Opposition in Malaysia is a term used to describe political parties represented in the Parliament of Malaysia that are not in government either on their own or as part of a governing coalition. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in parliamentary systems, i.e...
, and conduct torture against detainees. Among notable events which prompted widespread use of the ISA were Operation Lalang
Operation Lalang
Operation Lalang was carried out on October 27, 1987 by the Malaysian police to crack down on opposition leaders and social activists...
in 1987 and the years during the Reformasi movement
Reformasi (Malaysia)
The Reformasi movement in Malaysia was initiated by Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters shortly after he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister in 1998. It consisted of several mass demonstrations and rallies against the long-standing Barisan Nasional coalition government, and continued until Anwar was...
, beginning 1999. The centre has also been used to detain other groups of people declared by the government to be a threat to national security such as terrorists and cults. Some notable groups detained in Kamunting includes the Al-Arqam
Al-Arqam
Al-Arqam is a Malaysian-based Islamic religious sect, founded by Ashaari Mohammad. The sect was banned by the Malaysian federal government on 21 October 1994...
cult and the Al-Ma'unah terrorist group.
Notable Ex-Detainees
- Anwar IbrahimAnwar IbrahimAnwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
- Former Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister. - Lim Kit Siang - Opposition Leader
- Jeffrey KitinganJeffrey KitinganDatuk Dr. Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan is a politician from the state of Sabah in Malaysia. He was born in the town of Kota Marudu and graduated from Harvard University...
- Sabah politician - Karpal SinghKarpal SinghKarpal Singh is a Malaysian lawyer and politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the neighbourhood of Bukit Gelugor in the state of Penang since 2004...
- Opposition Leader - Michael Jeyakumar DevarajMichael Jeyakumar DevarajMichael Jeyakumar Devaraj is a Malaysian politician and is the current Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Sungai Siput constituency in Perak....
- Parti Sosialis Malaysia Leader