Commenting Malaysiakini: 1000 in anti-ISA march tonight

1000 in anti-ISA march tonight Malaysiakini
Sep 27, 08 8:08pm

breaking news About 1000 people are now marching from Dataran Merdeka to the Hindu temple opposite Puduraya bus terminal in solidarity against the Internal Security Act.MORE

• Candlelight vigil on
• AIM holds similar event

Old photo: from Mariasamad...Anti-ISA vigil dispersed with water cannon...

please do not make any judgement on racial composition of street protesters. Yes, we claim to be united, but we are separated on racial lines. Ok, thats natural. (photos from Skuad Batu Tiga)


BERITADARIGUNUNG:

A perpetual street protest will not do any good to anyone. What is it for by the way? Assuming everything is done in the interest of Malaysians, then by all means use the domain of political arena, where ladies and lords sit side by side, on the left and right, front and back benches. The place has different rule where claps are replaced by bangings on the bench. It is a place where Members of Parliment can sit in or sit out, can discuss or keep quiet and can drink and talk in between sessions.

Of course, speeches are always interrupted by jeers. Some are met rudely, and sometimes the jokes and jeers are very much gamely. They are there to take part in the way things are destined, DEMOCRACY.

Street talks are not necessary. I have always stress the crucial point that politicians are different from ordinary folks. Where politicians find it easy to switch from points to another and argue today and renew friendships tomorrow, ordinary folks will find it very difficult.

The rigour of parlimentary debates thickens the skins of most politicians. Karpal is a veteran in the like of Tan Aik Huang, Rudi Hartono or the younger Rashid Sidek for Badminton. It's all about smashes and returns and deceptions. Yes they are alert most of the time, even while in wheelchair. They quarrel today and they laugh the next day.

Folks of the street are not all with thick skins. Emotions may sweep them off the reality. Ordinary folks may not be able to handle heightened pressure. If not handled carefully, there may be tensions that will lead to explosive demonstration of anger. God knows what that will lead to.

Why are we doing this? Why are taking things to the streets. Are we streetwise or streetmaniacs. Do we expect laws to be ammended by taking issues to the alleys. Who are we to know that cul-de-sac leads to nowhere. If demonstrations are organised or participated by politicians then we are crazy fools. Then politicians fail to make full use the sanctuary of Dewan Rakyat or people's hall.

Therefore politicians are greedy lots by taking both the hall and the streets. Let us pressure them to discuss and debate seriously in Parliment. Streets are for meant for us, folks to go about our normal life, for little kids to cross, for hawkers to get a few dollars more, for taxi drivers to get a few passengers more and the police to exercise their authority for the safety of us, the road users.

I thought when we put a big cross on ballot paper, whoever is elected will take our worries to parlimentary sessions. The dusty streets are not made for exhibition of anger!

On the final analysis, lets be fair. Lets us understand why ISA was drafted many years ago. ISA safeguard ordinary folks. ISA will keep away some for the benefit of ordinary folks. Thats all.

So, cant we toe the line and be civilised?

- beritadarigunung

Blogger 'detained for two years'

Malaysia's leading blogger has been ordered to spend two years in detention under internal security laws after being accused of insulting Islam, his wife says.

Raja Petra Kamaruddin, a prominent government critic and founder of the Malaysia Today website, has been sent to the Kamunting detention centre in northern Perak state on the order of the home minister, Marina Lee Abdullah told AFP.

Mengulas isu ISA dalam Malaysiakini.

(There is a comment by BERITADARIGUNUNG at the end of this post from Malaysiakini)

• 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..MORE

BERITADARIGUNUNG:

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