Explain arrests, women's group tells Pak Lah
K KabilanPublished: Apr 13, 2001 2:18 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The Women's Agenda for Change (WAC) movement today called on Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to account for the recent spate of arrests under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
"He should also release them immediately or charge them in open court," said the movement which represents 90 organisations.
"We are outraged at the government's insistent use of the ISA to suppress opposition and debate. Our government should not feel intimidated by the citizens' expression of their opinions and concerns," said WAC in a statement.
Apart from condemning the arrest of the seven reformasi activists on Tuesday and Wednesday, WAC also highlighted the use of the ISA against six Shi'ite Islamic faith believers.
Shi'ite detainees
Little is known about the detention of the six men aged between 29 and 43. However, it is believed that they were detained since last October for practising the Shi'ite faith. Four of them are still being held while two others have been conditionally released.
Nothing has been reported on this matter and even their family members when contacted by concerned non-government organisation (NGOs) said they did not know anything about the detention order.
Muslims in Malaysia belong to the Sunni sect; the Shi'ite practice is confined to about 3,000 people and though generally frowned upon by the authorities, has not been declared illegal in this country.
Previously, in November 1997, 10 people were arrested under the ISA for allegedly practicing the faith.
Some of them were released on the condition that they renounce their Shi'ite belief and revert to the Sunni sect. The reason of those arrests, according to the police then, was that "their activities were prejudicial to national security and Muslim unity".
Violent demos
As for the recent detention of the seven reformasi activists, police said the detainees posed a threat to national security and were planning violent street demonstrations and other militant means to topple the government.
The seven are Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, Youth leaders Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, N Gobalakrishnan and Abdul Ghani Harun, Free Anwar Campaign (Freeanwar.com) webmaster Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin, social activist-cum-malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais and Saari Sungib, organiser of the Black 14 event tomorrow.
The Black 14 event, to commemorate the second anniversary of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's sentencing in 1998 for abuse of power, will involve the handing over of a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam)
WAC said that the use of the ISA against these 13 people clearly violated their right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
WAC also called upon Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to intervene in the detentions and play its role to promote and protect the rule of law and respect for human rights in this country.
Fabricated allegations
Meanwhile, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) youth wing condemned the manner in which the police and the government have attempted to justify the arrest of the seven reformasi leaders.
"The preposterous allegations by the police do not justify the use of the ISA. If the police have information about the attempted use of force by reformasi activists, then all those involved should be charged," said committee member Jonson Chong in a statement today.
He added that the use of the ISA only proved that the allegations were fabricated and unfounded.
Invoking the ISA as a preventive measure is an arbitrary use of force by the government to silence legitimate criticisms against it, said Chong.
"We also call upon all Malaysians to demand the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. A man who cannot even grasp such basic principle of justice is not fit to govern a country," he added.
Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai had said the seven were part of an inner reformasi group that was planning to use militant means and street demonstrations to overthrow the government.
Yesterday, Mahathir said their detention was to prevent huge demonstrations scheduled for tomorrow, adding that such demonstrations invariably result in violence ([#1]ISA more effective[/#], April 12).
"He should also release them immediately or charge them in open court," said the movement which represents 90 organisations.
"We are outraged at the government's insistent use of the ISA to suppress opposition and debate. Our government should not feel intimidated by the citizens' expression of their opinions and concerns," said WAC in a statement.
Apart from condemning the arrest of the seven reformasi activists on Tuesday and Wednesday, WAC also highlighted the use of the ISA against six Shi'ite Islamic faith believers.
Shi'ite detainees
Little is known about the detention of the six men aged between 29 and 43. However, it is believed that they were detained since last October for practising the Shi'ite faith. Four of them are still being held while two others have been conditionally released.
Nothing has been reported on this matter and even their family members when contacted by concerned non-government organisation (NGOs) said they did not know anything about the detention order.
Muslims in Malaysia belong to the Sunni sect; the Shi'ite practice is confined to about 3,000 people and though generally frowned upon by the authorities, has not been declared illegal in this country.
Previously, in November 1997, 10 people were arrested under the ISA for allegedly practicing the faith.
Some of them were released on the condition that they renounce their Shi'ite belief and revert to the Sunni sect. The reason of those arrests, according to the police then, was that "their activities were prejudicial to national security and Muslim unity".
Violent demos
As for the recent detention of the seven reformasi activists, police said the detainees posed a threat to national security and were planning violent street demonstrations and other militant means to topple the government.
The seven are Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, Youth leaders Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, N Gobalakrishnan and Abdul Ghani Harun, Free Anwar Campaign (Freeanwar.com) webmaster Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin, social activist-cum-malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais and Saari Sungib, organiser of the Black 14 event tomorrow.
The Black 14 event, to commemorate the second anniversary of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's sentencing in 1998 for abuse of power, will involve the handing over of a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam)
WAC said that the use of the ISA against these 13 people clearly violated their right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
WAC also called upon Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to intervene in the detentions and play its role to promote and protect the rule of law and respect for human rights in this country.
Fabricated allegations
Meanwhile, Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) youth wing condemned the manner in which the police and the government have attempted to justify the arrest of the seven reformasi leaders.
"The preposterous allegations by the police do not justify the use of the ISA. If the police have information about the attempted use of force by reformasi activists, then all those involved should be charged," said committee member Jonson Chong in a statement today.
He added that the use of the ISA only proved that the allegations were fabricated and unfounded.
Invoking the ISA as a preventive measure is an arbitrary use of force by the government to silence legitimate criticisms against it, said Chong.
"We also call upon all Malaysians to demand the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. A man who cannot even grasp such basic principle of justice is not fit to govern a country," he added.
Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai had said the seven were part of an inner reformasi group that was planning to use militant means and street demonstrations to overthrow the government.
Yesterday, Mahathir said their detention was to prevent huge demonstrations scheduled for tomorrow, adding that such demonstrations invariably result in violence ([#1]ISA more effective[/#], April 12).
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