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TERESA KOK RELEASED, HOW ABOUT OTHERS?
GERAKAN MANSUHKAN ISA
(ABOLISH ISA MOVEMENT)
PRESS STATEMENT: 19 SEPTEMBER 2008
TERESA KOK RELEASED, HOW ABOUT OTHERS?
Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) welcomes the release of Member of Parliament of Seputeh and senior executive councilor of Selangor state government, Teresa Kok. Teresa Kok was released unconditionally today at 1pm after she has been detained for seven days without trial under the Section 73(1) of draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).
Teresa Kok was arrested under the ISA on 12 September 2008 at about 11.18pm when she was on her way back to her apartment. She was arrested on 12 September 2008 under Section 73(1) of the ISA for allegedly inciting racial and religious tension. However, she has denied the allegations.
During the entire period of her seven-day detention, Teresa Kok was put in solitary confinement. According to her, she was cut off from the outside world and had no access to newspapers or even a blank piece of paper. She did not know what day it was when she was in detention. She was unwell and the doctor said her blood pressure was very low. She also said that the food given to her while she was in detention was very bad and unhygienic.
GMI views ISA as a totally abusive law which allows for detention without trial. The latest round of ISA arrests once again reveals the arbitrary nature of the ISA. Neither clear explanation nor details were given the nature of the threat or national security risks. In fact under the ISA, the Home Minister has no obligation to disclose to the public or the courts the details of the detention or release.
GMI would also like to remind the government that there is another 65 detainees still being detained under the ISA in Kamunting. Apart from the 65 detainees, Malaysia Today blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin is still being detained under the 60 days period of ISA since last 12 September 2008 .
Why is the government so selective in releasing detainees? What is the standard applied by the government in releasing detainees? Or is there no standard whatsoever in these decisions? This clearly shows that the draconian ISA constitutes gross abuse of power by the authorities. Things can be done arbitrarily since the ISA is not subjected to any judicial review.
GMI firmly believes that national security laws, such as the ISA, must not be used to curtail or inhibit the exercise of universal democratic liberties or the peaceful expression of political views. The detention of Malaysian citizens under the ISA is viewed by the international community as a fundamental infringement of democratic rights and values.
Therefore, GMI strongly urges the government to:
1) Release or prosecute all ISA detainees held at Kamunting Detention Camp, Police Custody and Police Remand Center (PRC) in Kuala Lumpur .
2) Adopt the recommendation of SUHAKAM to abolish the ISA.
Abolish ISA!
Release All ISA Detainees!
Close Down Kamunting Detention Camp!
(ABOLISH ISA MOVEMENT)
PRESS STATEMENT: 19 SEPTEMBER 2008
TERESA KOK RELEASED, HOW ABOUT OTHERS?
Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) welcomes the release of Member of Parliament of Seputeh and senior executive councilor of Selangor state government, Teresa Kok. Teresa Kok was released unconditionally today at 1pm after she has been detained for seven days without trial under the Section 73(1) of draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).
Teresa Kok was arrested under the ISA on 12 September 2008 at about 11.18pm when she was on her way back to her apartment. She was arrested on 12 September 2008 under Section 73(1) of the ISA for allegedly inciting racial and religious tension. However, she has denied the allegations.
During the entire period of her seven-day detention, Teresa Kok was put in solitary confinement. According to her, she was cut off from the outside world and had no access to newspapers or even a blank piece of paper. She did not know what day it was when she was in detention. She was unwell and the doctor said her blood pressure was very low. She also said that the food given to her while she was in detention was very bad and unhygienic.
GMI views ISA as a totally abusive law which allows for detention without trial. The latest round of ISA arrests once again reveals the arbitrary nature of the ISA. Neither clear explanation nor details were given the nature of the threat or national security risks. In fact under the ISA, the Home Minister has no obligation to disclose to the public or the courts the details of the detention or release.
GMI would also like to remind the government that there is another 65 detainees still being detained under the ISA in Kamunting. Apart from the 65 detainees, Malaysia Today blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin is still being detained under the 60 days period of ISA since last 12 September 2008 .
Why is the government so selective in releasing detainees? What is the standard applied by the government in releasing detainees? Or is there no standard whatsoever in these decisions? This clearly shows that the draconian ISA constitutes gross abuse of power by the authorities. Things can be done arbitrarily since the ISA is not subjected to any judicial review.
GMI firmly believes that national security laws, such as the ISA, must not be used to curtail or inhibit the exercise of universal democratic liberties or the peaceful expression of political views. The detention of Malaysian citizens under the ISA is viewed by the international community as a fundamental infringement of democratic rights and values.
Therefore, GMI strongly urges the government to:
1) Release or prosecute all ISA detainees held at Kamunting Detention Camp, Police Custody and Police Remand Center (PRC) in Kuala Lumpur .
2) Adopt the recommendation of SUHAKAM to abolish the ISA.
Abolish ISA!
Release All ISA Detainees!
Close Down Kamunting Detention Camp!
2 comments:
semakin tak faham dengan suasana politik di negara kita.. macam joker aje yang memerintah negara..
neeza..
memang betul..espcly bila pemerintah tak memikirkan ttg kepentingan rakyat, sebab tu lah kita perlu tukar kepada pemimpin yang dapat menjamin keselamatan rakyatnya dan negara.
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