Atam, who was accompanied by Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) representatives and several opposition MPs, came to the Dewan Rakyat today to hand a memorandum to the home ministry, calling for Aishah’s release.

Aishah, a 29-year-old former Universiti Malaya student, was arrested the first time in March last year under Section 130JB of the Penal Code and Sosma for the possession of 12 books allegedly linked to terrorism.

“I was surprised by her arrest. She was just a student doing research.

“I’m so sad … I’m sorry, I can’t talk further,” Atam said, sobbing at a press conference at the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon.

A month after her first arrest, Aishah was charged in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur. The former Master’s in Usuluddin (Islamic Studies) student pleaded not guilty and said she was using the books for research for her master’s degree.

The High Court then acquitted and released her, but on the same day, Aishah, the first of five siblings, was re-arrested under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca) and detained for another 60 days.

Upon her release, she was placed under house arrest. Last Monday, she was again arrested under Sosma, and is currently detained at Kajang prison.

Batu MP Tian Chua said he and several other opposition MPs decided to accompany Atam today to show their support for Aishah and her family.

“We will try to find the best channel to deliver her family’s message to the authorities.”

Suaram’s executive director Sevan Doraisamy, who was present, urged the attorney-general’s chambers to retract its appeal against the High Court decision, and abolish several laws which he described as being in breach of basic human rights, such as Sosma, Poca and the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota).