Friday, July 31, 2009

1 August - ISA Gathering Gimmick ?

Tomorrow, the 1 August 2009, there will be mass gathering and protests of two movements.

One is of course Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) while the other is a recently established Pro-ISA movement.

Judging by these two movements' objectives and disruption of peace, we of course can find solace in the Barisan Nasional leadership led by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who have initiated steps to review the ISA.


I do not agree with complete abolishment of ISA, as once stated before in one of my blog postings. However, I am fully supportive to amendments of the Internal Security Act.

A complete abolishment of ISA will leave a big hole in the legal side and procedures of Malaysia, thus contributing towards greater crime rate or increasing the risks of our national security.

Malaysia can only abolish ISA if there are sufficient Acts to cover the tracks of such a move.


Although Pro ISA movements can argue that countries like Singapore and United States have similar security laws, Barisan Nasional cannot afford to hold such "radioactive" issues while marching into elections anymore.

Times have changed in Malaysia where the original ISA might not be relevant but amendments of the Act are indeed necessary steps for a better Malaysia.


There is a good blog post I found in the blogopshere, written by Syed Akbar Ali, on ISA. That perhaps will explain to the people the true intentions of Malaysian politicians and GMI.

Read : Pakatan Riot on 1.8.09? Please go to Morib Beach !

Excerpts from OutSyedTheBox :
  • This anti – ISA rally is just a political gimmick. For example no one has complained about the two Malay men who are locked up in Guantanamo Bay under the American ISA (Patriot Act or whatever). The GMI has not marched anywhere in protest over the two Malay boys held at Guantanamo. Brader Anwar has recently travelled to the United States to meet his old neo-con buddies there. Did he bring up the issue of the two Malay men held under their ISA there? Terlupa ke? This is a dead give away that the complaint against the ISA is just a gimmick.

  • Don’t forget that in 1999, Brader Anwar was jailed for six years for abusing his authority and asking the Police to bully one Ummi Hafilda and one Azizan Abu Bakar. We did not abolish the Police Act. Brader Anwar went to jail. This man is an ex convict, a proven in Court abuser of power. Sekarang mahu bising nak mansuhkan ISA ? Pi dah.

  • My lawyer friends tell me that the Simpang Renggam inmates who are detained under ISA include violent gangsters, hardcore drug dealers, organized crime bosses and other unsavoury characters who have escaped the clutches of due process, often with the help of clever lawyers. The ISA provides some safety measure for the public that these characters are taken out of circulation. Does the GMI want to see these folks walking the streets freely?

GMI must take a step backward, and so must the Pro-ISA movement. Let us all be supportive of DS Najib's move to review and most probably amend the ISA.

Related :
  1. Najib : Move to release ISA detainees shows Govt not repressive
  2. MCA lauds Najib's proposal to comprehensively review ISA

4 comments:

A Voice said...

Very wise of you.

Since my youth, I am not comfortable principly with ISA but have compromise a bit to accept that there is such a need.

Given between applying ISA and other law, other law shd take priority.

The power to apply ISA must not befall on the Minister. It has to be collective group decision and within the group, there are no politicians!

Eventually we must slowly introduce other laws to the point that one day we have ISA only for serious security and hardcore criminals.

Best is no ISA.

Frankly Aug 1st by GMI is a political ploy to salvage ship beseige with problems and to keep their flame burning.

Tze Horng said...

Guantanamo detention camp is shutting down soon by President Obama with an executive order. Know what is an executive order? It means the President pass it without going through both the House of Representatives and House of Senates. Your article is written without doing research. There is a link here about Obama signing the order:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/politics/22gitmo.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=Obama%20on%20Guatanamo%20Bay&st=cse

Bye bye Guantanamo. Does it makes sense to complain about the ISA now? Think about it. I will not make a comment here. You can get some answer from this article especially the Geneva Conventions part. Besides that, the GOP and Democrats have different thinking. It is not fair to judge every US presidents to be the same. Take some political science class if you really want to write articles regarding politics.

Donplaypuks® said...

Gimmick? Today you realized the truth!

Anonymous said...

You GWL should spend a week under ISA detention as she what life is like in Najib's Hell in the Cell. Then you cab get a Piece of Your Hell.

Tan Teik Lye