By P. Ramakrishnan
Tuesday, 03 August 2010 20:28
Sunday, 1 August 2010, marked the 50th Anniversary of the ISA. It was a milestone that had to be observed by every caring Malaysian. It was an occasion that deserved to be commemorated.
This evil Act has been with us for 50 years serving as a convenient and useful political tool to keep the ruling elite in power. For 50 years, this Act has terrorised innocent people. Some 10,000 people lost their freedom because they were detained under the ISA which gives them no recourse to the courts.
Their detention is at the pleasure of the Minister of Home Affairs. He is legally empowered to detain any Malaysian indefinitely by simply extending their detention orders every two years. No court of law can question the Minister’s detention orders. As long as he is of the opinion that an individual is a threat to national security, he can order the detention.
Such an unjust law has to be opposed. It was only logical that on the 50th Anniversary of the existence of this obnoxious legislation, peaceful Malaysians should commemorate this important occasion. In this instance, they planned to hold candle light vigil in eight states on 1 August 2010, the 50th anniversary of the enactment of this Act.
This candle light vigil would have taken place peacefully without any incidence – if only those gathered had been allowed to do so. Surely Malaysians are entitled to the freedom to light a candle, sing a few songs, deliver a few speeches and go home.
NGO events such as this don’t normally attract a mammoth crowd. At most only a few hundred people turn up. There was no public urging for Malaysians to turn up in their thousands.
So why was this peaceful gathering stopped? What was achieved?
The police action only made those present even angrier with the Barisan Nasional – not with the police. They were aware that the police only act on the orders of the BN – more implicitly on the instructions of the Umno ministers.
In Penang, when I arrived at around 8.50 pm I witnessed some activists being herded into a truck and carted away even before the event could take place at 9.00 pm. There were more police personnel present than people who had come to attend the function. They outnumbered those present by almost two to one. The police were ordering the people to disperse but they lingered on. What was inspiring was the fact that there was no fear among the people. No one ran helter-skelter. They stayed put.
At about 9.30 pm, my wife and I went to the Jelutong Police Station, where the four detainees were taken to. There were at least 50 Malaysians holding up lit candles and moving to an advantage position to attract the attention of passers-by. We bought a packet of candles and joined the group.
Motorists passing us on both sides honked their horns expressing their support.
As more and more cars and motorbikes passed, their honking grew louder and more persistent. One cyclist even rang his bell!
When it became evident that the people were in support of the cause that we represented, that was when the police moved in and dispersed us. Even then, some did not go home. They stayed on at nearby coffee shops until it was time to free the detainees. Four of those still hanging around went into the police station to bail them out.
The people have a right to be angry with the BN. The police were tolerant of the pro-Umno group who came there to be unruly. They were provocative and were a nuisance. They came to cause mischief and disrupt the peaceful event to mark the 50th anniversary of the ISA. They supported the ISA. They could have held their own function elsewhere to express their support for the ISA. But why come here to wreck a peaceful event?
Why were they not apprehended? Why were the police tolerant of this group?
According to a Malaysiakini report:
“When asked if the police knew about a group of pro-ISA members believed to be Umno representatives gathering at the Square, Georgetown OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong
Meng conceded, saying ‘Yes, they tried to create trouble and agitate”.
They tried to “create trouble and agitate” and how were they treated in comparison to those who were arrested? It was clearly a case of double standards.
Ordinary Malaysians are not naive. They see the difference and they understand the biased treatment.
This conduct is not a plus sign for the BN. It is definitely a minus sign. The police action only makes the people turn against the BN.
The BN must realise that the police action is only sabotaging the BN.
P Ramakrishnan is president of Aliran.
Just a thought. Technically we are still in a state of emergency. This is because the pronouncement of emergency made decades ago has not been revoked until today (correct me if I am wrong). And if the 10,000 figure quoted above is correct, and most of them were wrongfully detained under the emergency law, then dont we have a commission of war crime by the respective pms and home mins – just like that bugger in cambodia. A case to take to UN?
The BN must realise that the police action is only sabotaging the BN./// P Ramakrishnam
This is what they wanted,it’s OK,let it be. However one thing I’m pretty sure is those pro-ISA Umno members will turn against it the very moment they taste it. In another word when Umno becomes the opposition,these fellows will run amok if PR used the ISA laws against them. Weird indeed all these guys though are pretty educated never understand or pretended not to ” those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others “.
If they are so keen to keep the ISA, let them keep it.
Once the PR wins the next GE, then a strong dose of the same medicine must be meted out the them.
Only when the PR government is satisfied that these ISA lovers have indeed fully tasted the ISA medicine, should the law be repealed.
Shame on you MCA and MIC! Look, what you have done to the people who voted you b4? Do they deserved to be highly handed by the PDRM? Why just keep quite? Chua Soi Lek and Samy Velu say something?
#3 by Winston,
I like your comment!
Did you see how the people were pushed and dragged by the men in uniform? See how they pull the shirt of a vigiler and slapped him? What’s this ??? They are not criminals and do not deserve such treatment. This is 1-M’sia huh??? So the pink lip went on leave and buat tak tahu? The authority is NOT respecting people’s right and NOT listening to the Rakyat. REFOMASI we must!!!
My respect and salute to the group of Mahasiswa and Mahasiswi who stand by mansuhkan ISA and urged the govt to listen to the people. Otherwise, they will show the ruling party what that means to the youngsters in the coming GE. Thank you!
Keep the act so that you can use it on BN for the next 50 years!
Just look at how those UMNO B hypocrites keep explaining how good “1Malaysia” slogan is.
When they choose to be smart…they an be very smart.
When they choose to side track and ignore..they can be seen like idiots….especially by the dirtiest of all politicians…..Mahathir.
DPM now says…he is beginning to understand and appreciate what is “1Malaysia” and promoting how smart and far sighted …Najib is.
Everyone knows that is nonsense….including Mahathir..and this idiot have just started to understand.
But we know mamak and that idiot are same group…trying to fool Muslims.
And it takes decades for MCA to tell the truth of Kapitan Yap Kuan Seng in Star papers.
Why hero worship him now?
Want to be champion for Chinese race…playing cannot bear them…lets win their hearts and carry Chinese voters balls?
I mean…
“cannot beat them….lets..bla bla bla”..last sentence of my above comment.
MCA politicians are such a low class cheap scats..keep fooling Malaysians Chinese…to support race and religion politics.