Report: Critics of ISA within gov’t challenged to resign

KUALA LUMPUR: Islamic Party of Malaysia(PAS) women chief Nuridah Salleh has challenged critics of the Internal Security Act(ISA) within the government to follow the example set by former de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

            She also urged component parties of ruling coalition Barisan Nasional that was critical of the draconian act to pull out of the coalition and join Pakatan Rakyat. Gerakan and MCA are two members of the ruling coalition that have recently being seen as critical of the ISA especially after the detention of Seputeh parliamentary member Theresa Kok.

            “If they understood that the Act violates human rights then they should pull out of (BN) and join Pakatan Rakyat coalition,” Nuridah said when met after Abolish ISA Movement (GMI) hold a short protest Sept 26, urging for the release of the ISA detainees in conjunction with the Muslims celebration of Eid.

The ISA provided for detention without trial.

            The protest however was hampered by police moves by threatening arrest and confiscating anti-ISA banners. No untoward incidents however took place. GMI working committee chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh was half-way reading his two page statement when, ASP Sydney Clyde Jeremiah of Dang Wangi Police Station threaten to arrest protestors.

            “Arresting team get ready,” Sydney was heard telling his men.

            Nuridah said a minister has previously told GMI during their meeting of his personal opposition to the act.

            “How could they remains in a government that continue to invoke this draconian act?,” she asked.

 

UnIslamic ISA

 

            She also warned Muslims MPs that the Act was unIslamic.

            “Pious people won’t get involve in a matter of injustice,” she said.

            “I urged them to leave BN,” she said.

            Nuridah said the protest was held as a show of solidarity to the family of ISA detainees in Kamunting and for them to be freed.

            She said efforts by GMI to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi has so far proven futile and that the protest was only one way for them to voice out their dissatisfaction.      

            “The government should have been sensitive (to their plight) since a minister had resigned over the use of the ISA,” Nuridah said noting increasing support for the act to be abolished.

            “The government should have just release them if they have no proof to detain them. It’s just not logical to detain them for seven or eight years,” she said. 

            Nuridah who is also GMI working committee member also noted that the annual event has proceeded smoothly for the past years and the treatment they receive was not “as bad as” this year.

            “We can’t even say anything (this year),” she said.

 

Increasing inflation threatening the livelihood of ISA families

 

Wife of ISA detainee Mat Sah Mat Satray, Norlaila Othman said increasing inflation made her life difficult to visit her husband in Kamunting Camp during the Eid celebration.

            “If you don’t at least have RM300, then (you won’t be able to visit),” she said.

            She might not be able to visit her husband in time if she took public transport since the camp closed at 1.30pm and family members were not allowed to visit after that.

            “The hike in (fuel) price is torturing us, the government is trying to kill us by keeping our family apart,” she said.

            Mat Sah along with some 15 others were detained over alleged involvement with Jemaah Islamiyyah(JI) movement since 2002, and had been slapped with eight years detention.

            Norlaila who was spotted coming with her son Suhaib however conceded that other ISA families detainees live in a poor condition than her. Norlaila had visited families of ISA detainees in Sabah with Harakah crew led by chief editor Ahmad Lutfi Othman to give out donation to ISA families on Sept 23-24.

            Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad who was also present at the protest said any actions of taking or removing items belonging to another person without consent was an act of theft.   

“Unless the police can justify their action for doing so, it’s an act of theft,” he said.         

“It doesn’t mean that they wear uniform they have the rights to take away someone property or belonging without the necessary warrant or justification,” he said

“I don’t see anything wrong here as the GMI people are trying to express their views peacefully. I don’t think it’s necessary for the police to take away their banners, it’s totally uncall for,” he said.

 

Length of protest allowed a “joke”

 

Amer also said the length of time given to the protest by the police was a “joke”.

            “They are not even allowed to use a loudspeaker, that’s totally unacceptable,” he said.

            “Let’s accept the fact that when you incarcerate someone without trial people are bound to be unhappy because the due process has not been followed so you can’t then try to clamp down or suppress views of the people who are unsatisfied with the method the government has taken,” he said

“They have to accept the fact that when there is injustice people will stand up and voice out their views,” he said.

            Syed Ibrahim said currently there are 66 detainees in Kamunting including blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, with some serving detention of up to eight years.

           

            Justice will triumph

 

He urged for their immediate release and for the ISA to be repealed.

            “Malaysia is one of the few countries in which the government could, through legal means persecute its political opponents and silence dissents based on mere unproven suspicion and still get away with it,” he said.

            “The former notorious apartheid government of South Africa had already abolished the law similar to ISA long time ago. On the contrary, in Malaysia there is no sign yet of its curtailment or disappearance,” he said.

            “In fact there is concern that ISA is increasingly misused and abused,” he said.

            Syed Ibrahim however noted the “historical” turning point against the ISA in the country.

            “There is a new awakening as more voices can be heard expressing their abhorrence,” he said.

            “Justice will triumph and we will see the final days of ISA,” he said.

/end.