Political Detention is Unjust!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Political Detention is Unjust!


This time Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar is caught in the act. He last night signed the detention order for the blogger to be held under section 8(1) of the tough security law. According to the Act, Raja Petra's two-year detention period can be renewed indefinitely.


Immediate reaction from RPK's lead lawyer: "The act by the minister to sign the section 8 order yesterday is completely unacceptable," said Malik Imtiaz.


Is this a cabinet decision? Did Syed Hamid consult all other ministers in the cabinet before signing the detention order? If not, will these ministers especially those who opposed the use of ISA resign?


I can safely tell you that BN's life span has just shorten by a few more bars. This is TOTALLY unacceptable.


RPK is a prisoner of conscience. Detention without trial is ILLEGAL and UNJUST!


The BN government is responsible for this detention using the draconian act.


SACK THEM! Pensiangan by-election, whatever...
Posted by Khoo Kay Peng at 2:10 PM 8 comments
Harakiri


First, RPK was detained under ISA. Then, they took in another two ladies - reporter Tan Hoon Cheng and MP Teresa Kok - under the same draconian law. Blogger Kickdefella was remanded and is expected to be charged under Sedition Act for instigating fellow bloggers to 'fly' the national flag upside down.


All these happened under the nose of Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar. Yes, the minister has pushed the blame to the police. First, he admitted it was his decision and the actions were to protect national interest and security.


When challenged how a docile lady reporter could be a threat to national security, he said she was detained for her own safety. Tan was released 18 hours later. If her safety was indeed threatened, Tan could be dead by now. Is she given police protection after her release?


Syed Hamid is suffering from serious lapses of memory because he has denied giving approvals to invoke ISA on the three individuals after first admitted he did so.


I am not interested to ask him again if the decision to call up Wee Meng Chee or more famously known as Namewee, the rapper, who composed the song Negarakuku. Syed Hamid Albar will again deny his involvement and belittle our intelligence.


This is another act of 'harakiri' - self-sacrifice. However, harakiri was performed by Japanese warriors/fighters to salvage their pride and honour after a devastating failure. We can find some semblance to this action taken by the police after more than a year Wee posted his song on Youtube.com.


What is the police going to achieve from this action? Why didn't both Ahmad Ismail and Azhar Ibrahim hauled up for investigation?


Tengku Razaleigh was right about selective persecution. When a police report is filled against those who oppose the government, the action is swift and quick. But don't bother to even hope for an action, even at snail pace, to be taken against members of UMNO. He told us at the dialogue of a corruption report lodged against PM Abdullah but no action was taken against him.


It is alright if the police insist on questioning Wee but it is important to show that they are impartial in their action. The police should not take the fall for politicians.


If justice and fair treatment is not given to Wee, BN will create another martyr just like they did to RPK, Teresa Kok and others before them.


Please do not belittle us with the Race Relations Act if you cannot even act fair.
Posted by Khoo Kay Peng at 12:27 AM 1 comments