DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang criticised Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's 2003 budget speech for its "clear rebuke and thinly-veiled threat" to the judiciary over the recent Federal Court decision on the mala fide detention of the five reformasi activists under the Internal Security Act.

On Sept 6, the Federal Court had found the initial 60-day detention "unlawful" and that the police had acted in 'bad faith".

The four Keadilan leaders Mohd Ezam Mohd Noor, Tian Chua, Saari Sungib, Badrol Hisham and malaysiakini columnist-cum- film director Hishamuddin Rais are serving a two-year detention period in Kamunting.

Keadilan Youth leader Mohd Ezam Mohd Noor is currently serving a two-year jail sentence in the Kajang prison under the Official Secrets Act for exposing classified information pertaining to corruption by two government officials.

But Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's speech yesterday that the ISA has spared the nation from turmoil was "deplorable", said Lim.

Irresponsible and reprehensible

He added that Mahathir's further warning that democracy will collapse if anyone whether the civil service, judiciary, police and armed forces should disregard the rule of law and disrespect the separation of power was "irresponsible and reprehensible"

In the speech presented in parliament yesterday, Mahathir claimed that the ISA had 'saved' the nation from violence, anarchy and utter chaos.

He said the government had spared the nation from turmoil with the rule of law.

"The ISA has indeed saved the nation. Today, the liberal west, has conceded that preventive laws are necessary in safeguarding internal security," said Mahathir, who is finance minister.

"The rule of law is paramount. Its adherence should not be confined only to the government but also to other branches in the administration. The civil service, judiciary, police and armed forces must be professional and abide by the laws passed by parliament.

"Should anyone disregard the rule of law and disrespect the separation of power, democracy will collapse and anarchy will prevail. Under anarchy, the nation will not progressed. We will become like some Islamic and non-Islamic nations, always weak, oppressed and manipulated by foreign powers," Mahathir added.

Speech should be studied

Lim said he had been twice detained under the ISA and had never at anytime advocated violence, anarchy or utter chaos.

"What the ISA has saved was Mahathir and the BN government from the need for greater democratic responsibility and accountability," he said.

Lim said that this part of Mahathir's speech should be studied not only by the judiciary and the legal community but by non-governmental organisations and the civil society concerned about a just rule of law and a truly independent judiciary.

Lim called upon the Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail to study the contents of the budget speech to see if Mahathir should be cited for contempt of court.