KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 ― The once jovial atmosphere in the homes of Maria Chin Abdullah’s family has darkened ever since her shock arrest and detention as a suspected security threat to the country.

Her sister Cynthia Chin recounted how their 87-year-old father stopped speaking ever since he learnt Maria was being held under the Special Offences (Security Measures) Act and is being investigated for alleged involvement in activities deemed detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

"Our father. He went completely silent. And it's felt… the silence,” Cynthia told a news conference here today, flanked by representatives from 80 civil society groups, all calling for the immediate release of the 60-year-old Bersih 2.0 co-chair.

She related how she was hesitant to disclose the full circumstances of Maria’s circumstances to their father, fearing his response.

"When she was arrested earlier, she managed to speak to our father and he was all jovial. We sort of told him, ‘Look, it's nothing to worry about; she would be released by Sunday-lah.

"But by late Saturday night, we had to tell him… little by little. And from a jovial mood he went completely silent,” Cynthia said.

While the family is trying to keep their spirits up, there is now a sense of sadness and anger at home that is unavoidable, she added.

"But we have to be strong for each other. I have to be strong for the kids,” Cynthia said with tears in her eyes.

Maria was arrested at Bersih 2.0's office in Petaling Jaya last Friday, on the eve of the electoral reform group’s fifth street demonstration in the city.

Both local and international human rights groups have condemned Maria’s arrest and ongoing detention, while Bersih supporters have gathered every night at Dataran Merdeka here since Saturday's calling for her release.

Cynthia urged the people to continue supporting Bersih and to keep up the nightly vigils to press the authorities to free Maria and abolish Sosma.

"We must keep fighting for Maria's release and the banning of Sosma. It is a very cruel law,” she said.

"They are trying to disturb us mentally, to weaken us mentally and tarnish our reputation, but the people must continue to believe in Bersih.

"Bersih has always been about the rakyat. It is the voice of the rakyat,” she said.

Under Sosma, she can be detained for 28 days without trial.

The Malaysian Human Rights Commission yesterday said the arrest under Sosma was unjustified while other rights groups have said the use of Sosma for an organiser of a peaceful rally is abuse of power and that the Malaysian government is trying to suppress dissent by using draconian laws.

Maria is being held in solitary confinement in a windowless cell measuring 15 feet by eight feet, without a mattress and where two light bulbs are switched on 24 hours, the poll reform group has said.

Maria's lawyers have since filed a habeas corpus to challenge her detention.