We Don't Need/Want the ISA
In light of the recent Internal Securities Act (ISA) arrests ( Malaysia Kini's editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin still remains in detention while Opposition MP Teresa Kok & journalist Ms Tan), there has been a call for the abolishment of the ISA.
The ISA is a leftover piece of the British colonial era, under which the government can detain people indefinitely on the grounds of national security. The recent call to remove this act began when 5 members of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) were detained in December (they have yet to be released); protests flared up with the arrests of RPK, Ms. Kok & Ms. Tan.
My opinion: delete the ISA.
Reasons:
- the ISA is a relic of the past, it should stay in the past. We are now in Modern Malaysia, we do not need to hang on to colonial oppressive enforcement acts.
- the very basis of ISA is an infringment on fundamental human rights; one should not be detained without trial for it is unfair & opposes the principle that "one is innocent until proven guilty".
- there is no need for this antiquated mechanism to display dictator-like powers. Malaysia has always boasted itself as a democratic country (a lot of issues pertaining to THAT tag), keeping the ISA would be a huge contradiction.
Maybe I'm not so well-informed but from what I gather, the ISA is nothing more than a tool to wield power that is authoritative, biased, uncivil & hypocritical. We don't need more crap on our hands. Cheers to modern Malaysia if the ISA remains an active, albeit outdated, part of Malaysia.
Comments
Just because the ISA doesn't provide fair trials before the courts doesn't mean it should be done away because obviously people who incite hatred and cause a stir in racial issues deserve the ISA knocking at their door.
Even so, I do think theres always room for improvements in order to curb the unrelenting questioning by the current generation of young Malaysians who obviously are very liberal in their way of thinking about the validity of such detainment under the ISA.
I can agree to the modifications of the act, but abolishing it would be like inviting instability into the country because many of us are CLEARLY playing with incendiary subtances nowadays!!!
Dun forget, even the earth's champion of DEMOCRACY, the USA, has Guantanamo Bay where they detain terrorists without giving them fair trials. The USA has obviously stumbled upon the fact that TOTAL FREEDOM is not the answer to protecting and ensuring its country's security.
If you stop and think for awhile, our current administration has been so lenient toward these culprits or no-good doers where so many incendiary issues have been touched off. You get so many people defying the constitution lately, inciting hatred and set off series of racial issues. The rippling effect is so intense that you could probably feel the pressure on our Mr. Nice Guy when he announced he will step down in the coming year in March.
If we were under Mahathir's administration, would there be any daredevils who'd like to start a debate questioning the validity of the ISA? Lim Kit Siang who has always been the strong champion of Malaysian Malaysia cause can't even speak fluent and good BM, what would he like the MALAYSIAN of his own version to speak in? MANDARIN? or have someone of Indian ethnic championing the Malaysian Malaysia cause, what would he like the MALAYSIAN of his own version to speak in? Tamil? These are people who CLEARLY are playing with fire!! AND, Would there be anyone who'd like start a forum on the conversion to and from Islam?
We really are lucky enough that the ISA is always the last resort for the current administration and it's a sad case that the leniency has been trampled over.