JUDGMENT

Hishamudin Yunus J:

(On the oral application by the applicants at 3.30pm for an order that the police be restrained from rearresting the applicants within a period of at least 24 hours with effect from 4pm 30 May 2001)

Encik Abdul Ghani bin Haroon and Encik Gobalakrishnan a/l Nagappan are members ofthe political party, Parti Keadilan Nasional. They had been separately arrested under s. 73(1) of the Internal Security Act 1960. Encik Gobalakrishnan was arrested on 10 April 2001 at Kuah Police Station, Langkawi, whilst Encik Abdul Ghani was arrested on 11 April 2001 at Kuching International Airport.

The families, on behalf of the two detainees, have separately applied to this court for a writ of habeas corpus, through Criminal Application 44-9-2001 and Criminal Application 44-10-2001. By consent, these two applications have been consolidated and are being heard together.

The common respondent in the applications is the Inspector General of Police.

From the day of arrest right until the last day of the hearing of this application (Tuesday 22 May 2001) the family members and the lawyers engaged by their respective families have been denied access by the police department; and s