Kuala Lampur, Sept. 11 -- This year is the 30th anniversary of the case of Re The Detention of R Sivarasa & Ors [1996].

The facts of the case are straightforward.

On November 9, 1996, 67 people were arrested by the police in an alleged demonstration which took place at Asia Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The suspects were remanded under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) from November 10 till November 13.

An application was then made in the morning of November 13 to the learned Magistrate for an extension of the detention period of 10 suspects under the same section for another 10 days - that is, November 13 till November 22.

It was indicated in the application that the extension of the detention period had to be made as the perio...