PENANG, Malaysia -- A second-echelon leadership has emerged within Malaysia's prominent opposition party, Keadilan, to pursue its fight for justice after eight top party leaders were detained by police.
Composed of young educated people, the second-tier leaders of the National Justice Party, or Keadilan, are currently on a nationwide roadshow, mainly in the Malay heartland, the power base of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the leading component of the ruling National Front (NF) coalition.
Speaking before large crowds, they highlight the plight of the eight leaders, who were detained last month under Malaysia's Internal Security Act (ISA). The speakers accuse Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of deviating from the original aim of the 40-year-old law of detaining only communists.