The mainstream papers on Sunday was filled with commentary from Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad about how US and UK lied to the world about the existence of weapons of mass destruction, as pretext of going to war with Iraq.

While that may be true, I am always amused when our prime minister harps on how these countries have lied. Our government must know a thing or two about masquerading the truth, as a pretext of doing unwarranted and unjustified things.

For example, our country is supposed to be under tremendous terrorist activities that will harm the national security of Malaysia - many have been held under the draconian Internal Security Act.

Despite many groups clamouring for the detainees to be charged in open court since the government has been intimated that overwhelming evidence is available against them, no one has so far been charged in open courts.

If Malaysians can recall, the ISA six who were freed recently (including malaysiakini columnist Hishammuddin Rais among them) was never charged for the threats they were supposed to have posed. In fact, now that these six are out, I do not see any trouble created by them.

So, isn't Malaysia as guilty as the US and UK for lying to world about the threats. At least the US and UK seem to have the moral courage and honesty to admit that the weapons have not been found, instead of planting evidence like many other so-called 'free' countries practices.

The excuse that even US and UK has the same ISA-type detention law does not hold water. This is because:

  • These laws does not allow the government to hold them for two years without trial and renewed for another two years. It gives the authorities a short time-frame before they have to be charged or freed.

  • No political opponent has been detained under these laws. It has always been those whom had been clearly identified as terrorists. The Labour Party in power in the UK does not arrest Conservative or Liberal politicians and throw them in jail. In the US, the Republicans do not arrest the Democrats and put them in jail over a difference of opinion.

I sincerely hope our leaders do not embarrass our country even more by continuing to speak with a forked tongue to the point that they do not realise how hypocritical they sound.