The ridicule continued over Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar’s justification of the day-long detention of journalist Tan Hoon Cheng under the Internal Security Act (ISA) as a way of ‘protecting’ her from danger.
Last night, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng rubbished the minister’s reason as “a nonsensical and ludicrous justification that insults the intelligence of Malaysians”.
“Who is he trying to fool with an absurd reason?” asked Lim, pointing out that this is the first time the ISA has been used to protect a person against death-threats.
Under Sections 73(1) and 8(1) of the ISA, an individual can be detained without trial for 60 days if the person is deemed a threat to national security, the economy and essential services.
The law was used last Friday to detain blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan and DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, sparking widespread condemnation of the police action.
“Syed Hamid has only bolstered calls to abolish the ISA,” Lim told newsmen at his official residence after a joint anti-ISA conference for various political parties in Penang. It was organised by Pakatan Rakyat.
State DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow and PKR chief Zahrain Mohd Hashim (right), PAS national unity bureau leader Mujahid Yusof Rawa, MIC Bayan Baru division chief M Nyanasegaran and former Gerakan leader Dr Toh Kin Woon were among those present.
The joint conference was the first in a nationwide campaign to draw political support for abolition of the ISA.
‘Bizarre protection’
Zahrain blasted Syed Hamid as being stupid for coming up with a ridiculous reason.
“If the government wanted to protect someone, it should have kept the person in a guarded hotel room or an apartment. But the government protected Tan by letting her to sleep on the floor (of a police lock-up),” said the Bayan Baru member of parliament.
Nyanasegaran also condemned the arrests and expressed his division’s full support for abolition of the ISA.
He said the latest detentions have only justified the public fear that the ISA is being abused for political interests and described the legislation as “evil and cruel”.
Mujahid described the arrests as a an act of cowardice and that use of the ISA goes against natural justice and the rule of law.
The conference passed four resolutions:
- condemning the detention of Raja Petra, Kok and Tan as undemocratic and a violation of human rights;
- challenging the government to charge the detainees in open court if it had evidence to prove them as threats to national security;
- demanding that the government releases all ISA detainees, including the five Hindu Rights Action Force leaders; and
- demanding that the government heeds calls by Malaysians to abolish the ISA.
Speaking later on the behalf of journalists in Penang, Regina William of The Edge deplored Tan’s arrest and called on politicians “not to shoot the messenger”.
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Last night, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng rubbished the minister’s reason as “a nonsensical and ludicrous justification that insults the intelligence of Malaysians”.
“Syed Hamid has only bolstered calls to abolish the ISA,” Lim told newsmen at his official residence after a joint anti-ISA conference for various political parties in Penang. It was organised by Pakatan Rakyat.
Nyanasegaran also condemned the arrests and expressed his division’s full support for abolition of the ISA.
