Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Is detention without trial or the Internal Security Act (ISA) part of Islam Hadhari?

Our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been promoting the principle of Islam Hadhari since 2004. It is said that Islam Hadhari is suitable UMNO and nation as a whole. Can someone answer me, is detention without trial part of Islam Hadhari principle that Abdullah or UMNO leaders trying to promote? It is high time for the Prime Minister to share with Malaysians on ISA role in Islam Hadhari.

During the public debate on ISA in July 2004 at Kuala Lumpur, the then Minister in the Prime Minister Department, Mohammed Nazri claimed that the people supported the ISA and therefore voted in the Barisan Nasional (BN). He went on to justify that there are procedures to follow before the home minister can sign in someone to detention without trial.

While the government claimed that there are processes involved before the home minister could endorse detention without trial, such claimed process has failed such as in the case of Abdul Malek and Guracharan Singh. How many more victims do the BN government intend to victimize before repealing the draconian law of detention without trial? What is the merit for signing in ISA detention orders for thousands of detainees over the years which include the late P.Patto, Lim Guan Eng, Yunus Ali and etc? What was Karpal Singh’s crime? What has Lim Kit Siang committed? The ISA has been abused in the past against opposition leaders such as Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang and will continue to do so!

The Law Minister Datuk Zaid said on Saturday, 29th of March said that the new administration of Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi and his able deputy want some change and that we should give them a chance.
If the BN government is sincere to change and restore values, they should repeal or abolish the ISA altogether. The 5 Hindaf leaders should be released unconditionally.

The Minister of Law went on to propose that the government issue an apology to the former lord president, Tun Salleh Abas who was sacked in 1998.

In addition to the proposed apology to Tun Salleh Abas, the government should tender a formal apology to:

Abdul Malek Hussin and Guracharan Singh, ex-ISA detainees who were proven unlawfully arrested, detained and beaten up during police custody. Both of them were awarded RM 2.5 million and RM1 million in damages respectively for the failure of the BN government to prove what they had done or intended to do would pose a threat to national security.

All the victims of 1988 operation Lallang which include the current Penang chief minister, Lim Guan Eng, current MPs such as Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh and etc. Lim Guan Eng, Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, the late P.Patto and other detainees were subsequently released; they were not proven guilty in the court of law of any wrong doings.

3 comments:

Global Eagles said...

Guracharan Singh, the ex-ISA detainee was only RM1.00 (yes ONE RINGGIT Malaysia) in damages, not RM1 million.

R. Vijay Kumar said...

Guracharan Singh, the ex-ISA detainee was only RM1.00 (yes ONE RINGGIT Malaysia) in damages, not RM1 million.

R. Vijay Kumar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.