(Updated 7:32pm, 7 April 2009)
PUTRAJAYA, 7 April 2009: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today his administration would not use the Internal Security Act (ISA) arbitrarily but would give importance to the principles of human rights and civil liberties.
He said the ISA was undergoing a review to ensure that it incorporated several provisions which upheld these principles.
“Several provisions (of the ISA) will reflect our (the government’s) intention to uphold civil liberties and establish a check and balance so that the ISA is not used arbitrarily or according to the whims of the authorities without regard for the fundamental rights and civil liberties of the people of Malaysia,” he told a group of journalists from Indonesia at his office, here.
The journalists, who had arrived to attend the Malaysian Press Awards event of the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) in Kuala Lumpur last night, were the first group of foreign journalists to interview Najib after his elevation as the prime minister on 3 April.
Najib said his decision to release 13 ISA detainees recently was a government gesture which gave importance to the fundamental rights and civil liberties in a modern, mature and civilised society.
At the interview, Najib was asked, among other things, his style of administration, Malaysia-Indonesia bilateral relations, regional security, press freedom in Malaysia and the role of the two prime ministers before him.
Touching on the philosophy behind the “One Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” concept which he had announced soon after becoming the prime minister, Najib said it was “the overarching philosophy” behind the administration he helmed.
He explained that it emphasised what should be done from now to spur the nation towards realising the objectives and vision set by the two prime ministers before him, i.e. to enable the people achieve “excellence, glory and distinction” and realise “Vision 2020” to become a developed nation.
“That is our destination, but before we attain Vision 2020 I want to emphasise what we have to do now … what then is the process. Unity, People First and Performance Now,” he said.
The “One Malaysia” concept emphasises mutual respect and trust among all the ethnic groups in the country, which Najib describes as the pillar for the process of national solidarity.
Najib said the effort must be carried out with the full awareness of the government and the people in all the programmes implemented.
“This concept must be translated into action, government programmes … for example, the allocations for Chinese and Tamil schools be given directly to the school boards.
“No ethnic group should feel marginalised in terms of government policies and programmes,” he said.
He said the bumiputeras should also be given assistance because they still lagged behind … but the effort should be carried out fairly, both for the bumiputeras and the non-bumiputeras.
On “People First”, Najib said the government he led would ensure that it was sensitive and close to the people, that it was not an elite government seen as pro large corporations and practised cronyism or nepotism.
Najib also said that he wanted to be the prime minister for all of the people and he would be fair, that he would not want to be seen as a prime minister who favoured any ethnic group.
Touching on the question of freedom in a democratic system, Najib said Malaysia was liberal but practised freedom with responsibility or there would be anarchy.
On Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib said he was convinced that the two former prime ministers would provide strong support to him as the new prime minister.
Saying that he had a good relationship with both of them, Najib said he hoped that the two statesmen would be able to use their respective strengths to help consolidate Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN).
“I will make an attempt. It is not easy … (but) I have a specialty. I have a good and close relationship with both of them. I believe it is important for former prime ministers to support the current prime minister in carrying on with the cause,” he said. — Bernama
Tshiung Han See says
It sounds like Najib knows about the perceptions he has to fight against.