Govt may review nuclear Tahirs PR status
Beh Lih YiPublished: Dec 6, 2004 5:44 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
The government will look into the permanent resident (PR) status of Sri Lankan businessman BSA Tahir, who is currently being held under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
The home minister says if the Sri Lankan businessman, currently being held under the ISA, is found to be involved in a nuclear black market ring as alleged, then he will be stripped of his PR status.
The government will look into the permanent resident (PR) status of Sri Lankan businessman BSA Tahir, who is currently being held under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Home Minister Azmi Khalid today said a PR holder will lose his/her status if found to be involved in criminal activities.
"I don't know yet (about Tahir), we will look into this," he added when quizzed on the issue at the Parliament lobby.
Elaborating, he said if Tahir was found to be involved in a nuclear black market ring as alleged, then the government will take action.
In early October, the Home Ministry revealed that it has revoked the PR status of 16 suspected Jemaah Islamiah (JI) members, who are being held under the controversial security act.
Following that, human rights body Suaram urged the government to reinstate these individuals' PR status until and unless they are convicted of the offence in an open court.
Azmi had argued that ISA detainees were "worse" than criminals in justifying the stripping of their status.
"At the moment they are in ISA they are worse because they are seen to be doing things that are against the security of the country," he had claimed.
The ISA allows the government to detain individuals suspected of threatening national security for a period of two years without trial.
'Privileged detainee'
Tahir was arrested under the security law on May 28 in Kuala Lumpur and sent straight to the Kamunting detention centre in Perak.
He is described as a 'privileged' detainee since he was not required to undergo the 60-day interrogation period that ISA detainees are normally subjected to.
Tahir was alleged to be a main player in an international network supplying parts to Libya's nuclear weapons programme.
Several names cropped up during investigations into the matter, including Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son Kamaluddin, whose company Tahir had been liaising with.
The police have since cleared Kamaluddin of any wrongdoing.
However, several opposition leaders and human rights groups have questioned the necessity of arresting Tahir under the ISA when he was initially cleared by Inspector General of Police Mohd Bakri Omar of any involvement in the scandal.
Home Minister Azmi Khalid today said a PR holder will lose his/her status if found to be involved in criminal activities. "I don't know yet (about Tahir), we will look into this," he added when quizzed on the issue at the Parliament lobby.
Elaborating, he said if Tahir was found to be involved in a nuclear black market ring as alleged, then the government will take action.
In early October, the Home Ministry revealed that it has revoked the PR status of 16 suspected Jemaah Islamiah (JI) members, who are being held under the controversial security act.
Following that, human rights body Suaram urged the government to reinstate these individuals' PR status until and unless they are convicted of the offence in an open court.
Azmi had argued that ISA detainees were "worse" than criminals in justifying the stripping of their status.
"At the moment they are in ISA they are worse because they are seen to be doing things that are against the security of the country," he had claimed.
The ISA allows the government to detain individuals suspected of threatening national security for a period of two years without trial.
'Privileged detainee'
Tahir was arrested under the security law on May 28 in Kuala Lumpur and sent straight to the Kamunting detention centre in Perak.
He is described as a 'privileged' detainee since he was not required to undergo the 60-day interrogation period that ISA detainees are normally subjected to.
Tahir was alleged to be a main player in an international network supplying parts to Libya's nuclear weapons programme.
Several names cropped up during investigations into the matter, including Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son Kamaluddin, whose company Tahir had been liaising with.The police have since cleared Kamaluddin of any wrongdoing.
However, several opposition leaders and human rights groups have questioned the necessity of arresting Tahir under the ISA when he was initially cleared by Inspector General of Police Mohd Bakri Omar of any involvement in the scandal.
View Comments0