Three 3 civilians unlawfully detained under ISA

The unlawful arrest of trio MP Teresa Kok, Sin Chew Reporter Tan & Blogger Raja Petra Reason for Teresa's arrest

Andrew Ong Sep 13, 08 3:37pm

Selangor executive committee member Teresa Kok was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) yesterday evening for allegedly causing tension and conflict among races as laid out in the notice issued by the police special branch to her next of kin. Malaysiakini.com http://malaysiakini.com/news/89643 Comments: September 13, 2008 Malaysian government has been condemned by the people (rakyat) to employ the Internal Security Act (ISA) as an abuse of the law for protecting the self-interest of the top 2 leaders namely Datuk Seri Ahmad Badawi and Najib. The government is on the verge of collapse into the hands of the Opposition Pakatan Raykat headed by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The day is drawing near to September 16, 2008 whereby the path of New Malaysia is dawning. There is abuse of ISA because the racist remarks against the Chinese community by the former Bukit Bendera Umno division chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail, has not been taken to task but reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, who wrote about the incident, has been arrested instead. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/13/nation/2022362&sec=nation "The perpetrator who to conduct a nationwide roadshow on his remarks without any remorse is still at large," MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said in a statement yesterday. He said anybody in his right mind would certainly be stunned by such an arrest targeted at the reporter and not the perpetrator. MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said he disagreed with the use of the ISA on Tan. "As a reporter, Tan was only carrying out duties assigned to her. Her story had gone through the due editorial process before it was printed," he said. Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the arrest of Raja Petra Kamaruddin was judicious because he ridiculed Islam in his postings which could spark fury among Muslims. Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, meanwhile, urged the Government to bring Raja Petra to trial in court under existing laws. "This is consistent with Gerakan's stand that the ISA should be reviewed, if not repealed," Dr Koh said in a statement. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim condemned Raja Petra's arrest and called for his immediate release. "Raja Petra should be given access to proper legal counsel, and his wife and children should not be denied an opportunity to visit him while he is held captive," he said in a statement. DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang called for Raja Petra's release as there was no justification for his detention. He said Raja Petra should be charged in court if he had infringed the law, and not held in detention without trial. Under the Section, police are empowered to detain the trio for a period of 60 days after which the Home Minister can decide on further detention. Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar admitted that the decision to detain people and issue show cause letters would be unpopular and would be criticised but it had to be done. "While we may want to be popular, freedom without responsibilities has ramifications. "We have to take action to protect the wishes of the majority," he said. Sin Chew Daily News reporter Tan Hoon Cheng has been released. Penang state police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakub said Tan was sent to her house in Bukit Mertajam at 4.15pm. She was released Saturday after a one-day detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA). It was an act of intimidation to the journalists to shy from reporting the truth on racist remarks while prepetrator Datuk Ahmad Ismail is still free to make racist statements. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has described the detention of Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng under the Internal Security Act as an act to intimidate the media. NUJ general treasurer Martin Vengadesan condemned Tan's detention as the Umno supreme council had already suspended its Bukit Bendera division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail for three years based on his statement. "We feel this detention is a case of shooting the messenger. We hope the authorities will release Tan soon," he said. The Malaysian Police and the government are clearly unfair to detain the civilians under ISA when these civilians have not committed any offence or charged in the court of laws. The abuse of ISA and Malaysian government is hereby condemned by the People at the highest degree and call for immediate change of government . September 16, 2008 is the day which marks the beginning of the struggle by the People for the new government free of corruption and abolition of ISA. In the civilised society of Malaysia where lawmakers made every law to deter and charge the offenders, it is unconceivable to use the babaric law of ISA to detain without trial where the justice cannot be applied and upheld. The Police is hereby called to explain as to why the racist Datuk Ahmand Ismail is still not detain under ISA when his statement has caused racial tension and national insecurity in the country? His statement on the Chinese as immigrants from China is a distortion of historical facts as the first batch of immigrants from China are basically dead while the new generations after 1957 are born and bred in Malaya or Malaysia and are citizens of the country by the operation of the law in the country. So by branding the Chinese in the country as immigrants or he subsequently clarified as "squatters "and should not have equal rights with the Malays is seditious and the racist remarks which warrants detention under ISA. The split between Gerakan and BN in Penang has proven the Datuk Ahamd Ismail is guilty of causing national insecurity and racial tension. The May 13 1969 should not be repeated by playing with racial issues. Once again the evidence of injustice and unfair application of the laws by the Malaysian police is clear by the comparison of the above persons involved.