- Ex-detainee Guan Eng: Don't review ISA, bin it!
- Athi Veeranggan | Sep 22, 08 4:04pm
The Penang chief minister feels that the dustbin is the best place for the tough security law that has been much misused and abused..MOREBERITADARIGUNUNG:
1. Pihak pembangkang telah menggunakan Internal Security Act sebagai salah satu political cry dalam kempen sejak beberapa lama. Pembangkang telah berjaya mengumpul sokongan setiap kali ISA digunakan.
2. What is ISA? Preventive detention has been a feature since 1948. Back then it was used to combat the insurgency of Malayan Communist Party. The power of preventive detention has been retained and became embedded feature in Malaysian Law. ISA under article 149 of the Malaysian Constitution allows detention, at the discretion of the Home Minister, without charge or trial of any person in respect of whom the Home Minister was satisfied that such detention was necessary to prevent him or her from acting in any manner prejudicial to national security or to the maintenance of essential services or to the economic life in Malaysia.
3. Any person may be detained by the police for up to 60 days without trial for an act which allegedly threatens the security of the country or any part thereof. After 60 days, one may be further detained for a period of two years each, to be approved by the Minister of Home Affairs, thus permitting indefinite detention without trial. In 1989, the powers of the Minister under the legislation was made immune to judicial review by virtue of amendments to the Act, only allowing the courts to examine and review technical matters pertaining to the ISA arrest.
4. In delivering the judgment of the Court, Steve L.K. Shim CJ (Sabah & Sarawak) in Kerajaan Malaysia & 2 Ors. v Nasharuddin bin Nasir (2003) 6 AMR 497 at page 506, has accepted that under Section 8 of the ISA the Minister has been conferred powers of preventive detention that ‘can be said to be draconian in nature’ but nevertheless valid under the Malaysian Constitution.
5. Thus, opposition has been pointing ISA as a draconian act, including Anwar Ibrahim. The recent arrest of Teresa Kok, and two others attracted criticism not only from opposition side but from the government side too. Bernard Dompok and Zaid Ibrahim were the main critics. Sad, Zaid has to make an early exit not necessarily due to his outburst on ISA but largely due to his weakening political standing. He failed to make a bid for Kota Baru Division Chief.
6. Manusia perlu diurus dengan peraturan dan undang-undang untuk menjamin kesejahteraan hidup rakyat jelata. Bukan perkara janggal untuk melihat treatment yang keras keatas pihak pengkritik dan pengacau. Singapura adalah contoh jelas. Pembangkang tidak mampu berkembang dan bersuara. Namun Singapura bukanlah negara mundur.
7. Akhirnya yang harus diakui ialah perlunya ada undang-undang untuk mengawal dan menjamin keselamatan dan kesejahteraan rakyat jelata. Samada undang-undang itu bersifat keras, kejam dan draconian, itu bukan soal pokok. Undang-undang mengajar manusia menjadi lebih berdisiplin dan bergerak dengan penuh sensitiviti. Masyarakat majmuk bukanlah senang untuk diurus. Huruhara mudah berlaku dengan cetusan tidak bertanggungjawab dan kabar angin. Kalau 13 mei terlalu jauh ke belakang untuk jadi ingatan, peristiwa Kampung Medan wajar juga jadi iktibar.
8. Bangsa dan Agama adalah dua perkara yang sangat sensitif. Tidak semua orang mampu berhujah on legal terms dan dalam mahkamah, majoriti rakyat mudah terpengaruh dengan isu-isu sensitif bangsa dan agama dan bertindak secara raw. Kadang-kadang tindakan mereka bersifat brutal. Itu yang sangat-sangat ditakuti. Barangkali itu sebabnya setengah pemerhati cuba merungkai peristiwa lebam mata Anwar Ibrahim. Orang politik sedia berhujah dan kata mengata. Rakyat umum tidak biasa dengan perjalanan hidup seperti itu. Dalam dunia tribal, bertindak brutal adalah lazim. Like it or not, we are all somewhat very tribal........
Kita bukan betul sepanjang masa - beritadarigunung
