ISA perspectives

“This (punishment) is more cruel than the ISA (Internal Security Act).”

Former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo referring to his one-year suspension from the Selangor legislative assembly, which was recommended by the state’s Rights and Privileges Committee.

The committee found Khir guilty for not turning up at a Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) inquiry of the now defunct Wives of Selangor Barisan Nasional Parliamentarians and State Assemblypersons Welfare Organisation (Balkis) in March.

Khir also faces a six-month suspension for issuing three allegedly insulting statements on Selcat in his blog and to the media. (Source: Khir: Suspension politically motivated, element of revenge, The Edge, 20 May 2009)

“Except for putting beef in my food and refusing permission for me to seek medical treatment in a private clinic, I was treated fairly well.”

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Uthayakumar, on how he was treated during his detention in Kamunting. (Source: Hindraf rebel, The Nut Graph, 19 May 2009).

While in detention, Uthayakumar, who is diabetic, had made repeated complaints about the fact that he was denied proper medical treatment for a foot injury.

Uthayakumar was one of the five Hindraf leaders detained under the ISA on 13 Dec 2007. He was released on 8 May 2009 with 12 other ISA detainees.

“[The ISA is] the most draconian and unjust law in Malaysia … as it provides for an indefinite detention without trial purely at the pleasure of the police and the home minister … once a person is detained under the ISA, he or she has no effective recourse to legal protection, nor any opportunity to establish their innocence of the accusations leveled against them.”

Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Nora Murat, in response to comments by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar on 23 Feb 2009 that the ISA is still relevant to ensure peace and stability in the country. (Source: Injustice of ISA, The Nut Graph, 23 Feb 2009)

Suhakam has proposed for the ISA to be repealed in its 2003 report Review of the Internal Security Act 1960 and replaced by an Anti-Terrorism Act instead.