Outrage over ISA detentions gain momentum
K KabilanPublished: Apr 23, 2001 11:04 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The outcry against the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) against reformasi activists continued to gain momentum with the setting up of a Penang-based anti-ISA movement recently as well as a strong show of support by women against the Act.
As part of its first effort, the Penang Anti-ISA Network (PAIN) submitted a memorandum to the Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai yesterday seeking the immediate release of the detainees if there is no evidence linking them to the "militant activities to topple the government", as alleged.
Otherwise, the detainees must be charged in an open court under normal laws of the country, PAIN stated further.
Since the police launched its dragnet on April 10 to date, nine people have been arrested under the ISA, which allows detention without trial, for allegedly planning violent street demonstrations and other militant activities to topple the government.
They are Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, party Youth leaders Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, N Gobalakrishnan, Abdul Ghani Haroon and Saari Sungib, Free Anwar Campaign (Freeanwar.com) webmaster Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin and social activist-cum-malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais.
Another Keadilan leader Dr Badrul Amin Baharom was detained last Friday while one of the party's youth secretary, Lokman Adam was arrested early this morning.
"As concerned citizens we appreciate the prompt actions of the police against alleged threats of national security. In the same vein, we call upon the police to take immediate action against Umno Youth members who had threatened to burn down the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall over the Suqiu matter," the memorandum stated further.
This is in reference to the demands and threats made by Umno Youth to the Malaysian Chinese Organisations' Election Appeals Committee (Suqiu) last August over the committee's 17-point appeal which included a call for the abolishment of the distinction between Bumiputra and non-Bumiputra..
Umno Youth had wanted Suqiu, which is housed at the Selangor Assembly Hall, to withdraw the allegedly sensitive appeals and apologise to the Malays for bringing up them matter.
Peaceful assemblies
Meanwhile, PAIN also called upon the police to provide reasons for refusing permits for peaceful assemblies.
"Reasonable applications for peaceful assemblies must be allowed. The police must remember that the people are more aware of their democratic rights now," said PAIN in its memorandum.
Under the law the police may refuse permits for gatherings without giving any reasons for the refusal.
PAIN which claims to have the support of various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and opposition parties, has also lined up various other activities to garner support for its anti-ISA drive.
Among them are the handing of a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) on the abuse of the ISA and lobbying the support of the state assembly representatives to endorse the memorandum.
Women's perspective
Meanwhile the Women's Agenda for Change (WAC) movement is also calling upon all women's organisations and women in general to make a stand and voice out against the ISA.
WAC, which represents 90 organisations, is mobilising these groups to support its campaign to have the ISA repealed.
It will hold a press conference this Thursday, where women ISA detainees will share their experiences.
"We want to highlight the effects of being detained under the ISA from the women's perspective," WAC spokesperson Irene Xavier told malaysiakini.
"The campaign is to reveal the true nature of the Act as well as to "make people take the Act more seriously," she said.
We are proving the platform for women to oppose this Act, said Xavier, adding that she expected a large turnout for the press conference.
Meanwhile, a forum entitled "The ISA Controversy" will be held tonight at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (SCAH), organised by its Youth section.
Speakers at the function include former ISA detainee Dr Kua Kia Soong, SCAH Civil Rights Committee's former president Ngeow Yen Yee and Mabel Au who is the fiancee of Keadilan vice-president Chua, one of the nine being held under the ISA recently.
Meanwhile, according to the Keadilan Youth deputy secretary Diong Chi Tzuoh, some family members of those detained who tried to see them at Bukit Aman this afternoon were turned away by the police. An officer said they could not arrange for their visit as the IGP was not in Kuala Lumpur.
A birthday cake for Ezam, who turns 34 today, which was brought by his mother, wife and three children was also rejected by the police.
Diong said that the arrest of Lokman today was an attempt by the government to undermine the opposition.
"This proves the political motive of the Barisan Nasional government and its draconian attempts to undermine the opposition," he said in a statement.
He said that the recent ISA arrests were to distract the public from the economic downturn and the apparent power struggle within the ruling parties, particularly in Umno and MCA.
'Smooth dictator'
Diong also said that the use of the ISA against the nine is testament to the growing political strength of the opposition front in revealing several mistakes of the government.
"However the BN government does not admit its weaknesses; instead it still tries to cover them up through several means," he said.
Keadilan Melaka Youth leader Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said Lokman's detention only showed the government's insensitivity towards earlier calls for the release of those detained before him or for them to be charged in open court.
"More regrettable is the continued use of the ISA in spite of recommendations made by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) in its annual report to the Parliament last week that the ISA be reviewed," he said.
He said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was turning this country into a "police state", with the premier becoming the "smooth Asian dictator".
'Committed democrats'
DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang called for the police to stop their "cloak-and-dagger game" and publicly announce those wanted on the ISA list and request them to report to the nearest police station.
He also said the purpose of the ISA swoop was completely political and had "nothing to do with national security".
"I have no idea who else is wanted by the police but I have no doubt that those wanted are committed democrats dedicated to political change through the constitutional process," said Lim.
He urged the police to allow Suhakam commissioners to visit the detainees and determine if there have been any human rights violations.
"In view of the history of ill-treatment, physical abuse and even torture during the ISA's 60-day interrogative custody period, the police should not obstruct Suhakam from visiting the ISA detainees," said Lim.
Suhakam has expressed interest in visiting the detainees after receiving complaints from their families. However, to date, police have not allowed access to them.
Bailout schemes
Spokesperson for the non-governmental People's Manifesto Initiative (PMI) Irene Xavier said that the detention of the nine amounted to the "death of parliamentary democracy" in the country.
"The most recent detention of the ninth person (Lokman) early this morning is further proof that the government and the police are totally recalcitrant, and we condemn this attitude," said Xavier.
She said it has been 14 days since the detention of the first seven for preventive purposes and yet there has been "no proof shown of their alleged militant activities to topple the government".
"For criminal trials under the Criminal Procedure Code, 14 days is the maximum time allowed for any investigation. No one can be detained longer than this without being charged in a court of law," she said.
Xavier said the ISA has been used to serve the interests of the ruling political parties who are facing severe criticism from opposition parties and the public over bailout schemes to rescue private companies and individuals.
"The use of the ISA in the name of national and people's interests is fascist as it actually serves the interests of the few who are in power. We call upon Malaysian citizens to oppose this tyrannical behavior," she said.
As part of its first effort, the Penang Anti-ISA Network (PAIN) submitted a memorandum to the Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai yesterday seeking the immediate release of the detainees if there is no evidence linking them to the "militant activities to topple the government", as alleged.
Otherwise, the detainees must be charged in an open court under normal laws of the country, PAIN stated further.
Since the police launched its dragnet on April 10 to date, nine people have been arrested under the ISA, which allows detention without trial, for allegedly planning violent street demonstrations and other militant activities to topple the government.
They are Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, party Youth leaders Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, N Gobalakrishnan, Abdul Ghani Haroon and Saari Sungib, Free Anwar Campaign (Freeanwar.com) webmaster Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin and social activist-cum-malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais.
Another Keadilan leader Dr Badrul Amin Baharom was detained last Friday while one of the party's youth secretary, Lokman Adam was arrested early this morning.
"As concerned citizens we appreciate the prompt actions of the police against alleged threats of national security. In the same vein, we call upon the police to take immediate action against Umno Youth members who had threatened to burn down the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall over the Suqiu matter," the memorandum stated further.
This is in reference to the demands and threats made by Umno Youth to the Malaysian Chinese Organisations' Election Appeals Committee (Suqiu) last August over the committee's 17-point appeal which included a call for the abolishment of the distinction between Bumiputra and non-Bumiputra..
Umno Youth had wanted Suqiu, which is housed at the Selangor Assembly Hall, to withdraw the allegedly sensitive appeals and apologise to the Malays for bringing up them matter.
Peaceful assemblies
Meanwhile, PAIN also called upon the police to provide reasons for refusing permits for peaceful assemblies.
"Reasonable applications for peaceful assemblies must be allowed. The police must remember that the people are more aware of their democratic rights now," said PAIN in its memorandum.
Under the law the police may refuse permits for gatherings without giving any reasons for the refusal.
PAIN which claims to have the support of various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and opposition parties, has also lined up various other activities to garner support for its anti-ISA drive.
Among them are the handing of a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) on the abuse of the ISA and lobbying the support of the state assembly representatives to endorse the memorandum.
Women's perspective
Meanwhile the Women's Agenda for Change (WAC) movement is also calling upon all women's organisations and women in general to make a stand and voice out against the ISA.
WAC, which represents 90 organisations, is mobilising these groups to support its campaign to have the ISA repealed.
It will hold a press conference this Thursday, where women ISA detainees will share their experiences.
"We want to highlight the effects of being detained under the ISA from the women's perspective," WAC spokesperson Irene Xavier told malaysiakini.
"The campaign is to reveal the true nature of the Act as well as to "make people take the Act more seriously," she said.
We are proving the platform for women to oppose this Act, said Xavier, adding that she expected a large turnout for the press conference.
Meanwhile, a forum entitled "The ISA Controversy" will be held tonight at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (SCAH), organised by its Youth section.
Speakers at the function include former ISA detainee Dr Kua Kia Soong, SCAH Civil Rights Committee's former president Ngeow Yen Yee and Mabel Au who is the fiancee of Keadilan vice-president Chua, one of the nine being held under the ISA recently.
Meanwhile, according to the Keadilan Youth deputy secretary Diong Chi Tzuoh, some family members of those detained who tried to see them at Bukit Aman this afternoon were turned away by the police. An officer said they could not arrange for their visit as the IGP was not in Kuala Lumpur.
A birthday cake for Ezam, who turns 34 today, which was brought by his mother, wife and three children was also rejected by the police.
Diong said that the arrest of Lokman today was an attempt by the government to undermine the opposition.
"This proves the political motive of the Barisan Nasional government and its draconian attempts to undermine the opposition," he said in a statement.
He said that the recent ISA arrests were to distract the public from the economic downturn and the apparent power struggle within the ruling parties, particularly in Umno and MCA.
'Smooth dictator'
Diong also said that the use of the ISA against the nine is testament to the growing political strength of the opposition front in revealing several mistakes of the government.
"However the BN government does not admit its weaknesses; instead it still tries to cover them up through several means," he said.
Keadilan Melaka Youth leader Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said Lokman's detention only showed the government's insensitivity towards earlier calls for the release of those detained before him or for them to be charged in open court.
"More regrettable is the continued use of the ISA in spite of recommendations made by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) in its annual report to the Parliament last week that the ISA be reviewed," he said.
He said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was turning this country into a "police state", with the premier becoming the "smooth Asian dictator".
'Committed democrats'
DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang called for the police to stop their "cloak-and-dagger game" and publicly announce those wanted on the ISA list and request them to report to the nearest police station.
He also said the purpose of the ISA swoop was completely political and had "nothing to do with national security".
"I have no idea who else is wanted by the police but I have no doubt that those wanted are committed democrats dedicated to political change through the constitutional process," said Lim.
He urged the police to allow Suhakam commissioners to visit the detainees and determine if there have been any human rights violations.
"In view of the history of ill-treatment, physical abuse and even torture during the ISA's 60-day interrogative custody period, the police should not obstruct Suhakam from visiting the ISA detainees," said Lim.
Suhakam has expressed interest in visiting the detainees after receiving complaints from their families. However, to date, police have not allowed access to them.
Bailout schemes
Spokesperson for the non-governmental People's Manifesto Initiative (PMI) Irene Xavier said that the detention of the nine amounted to the "death of parliamentary democracy" in the country.
"The most recent detention of the ninth person (Lokman) early this morning is further proof that the government and the police are totally recalcitrant, and we condemn this attitude," said Xavier.
She said it has been 14 days since the detention of the first seven for preventive purposes and yet there has been "no proof shown of their alleged militant activities to topple the government".
"For criminal trials under the Criminal Procedure Code, 14 days is the maximum time allowed for any investigation. No one can be detained longer than this without being charged in a court of law," she said.
Xavier said the ISA has been used to serve the interests of the ruling political parties who are facing severe criticism from opposition parties and the public over bailout schemes to rescue private companies and individuals.
"The use of the ISA in the name of national and people's interests is fascist as it actually serves the interests of the few who are in power. We call upon Malaysian citizens to oppose this tyrannical behavior," she said.
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