Mukhriz, make us understand...ISA

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In anticipation to the Gabungan Mansuhkan ISA gathering on 1st August 2009, Mukhriz, one of our second echelon leaders, says that ISA is misunderstood. Misunderstood? Is Mukhriz implying that the roughly estimated 70,000 people who are making plans to attend the gathering misunderstood ISA? For sure, the bulk of these 70,000 will not be from UMNO's rempit brigades, but they will be from all race, all religions, all walks of life, all states of Malaysia....so, Mukhriz, let's go through your argument, shall we?

Mukhriz implied that :-

1. ISA ensures the country remains peaceful and harmonius;
2. ISA provide protection to the people;
3. with ISA, the nation's political situation is better compared to many countries;
4. ISA indirectly build a strong economy to the country;
5. with ISA, we can send our children to school and shop safely;
6. the public failed to see the benefits of ISA;
   

The question is - what about those countries who do not adopt these preventive laws? Are their countries worse off than Malaysia? Let's take US of A and UK, are their countries in turmoil, and their parents could not send their kids to school, their political situation in chaos, and their economy weak? I doubt it. These countries believe in openess and thus far, they are doing pretty well handling their own internal threats.

Mukhriz argument is not convincing enough to deter the 70,000 to come out in black and red on 1st August 2009. Mukhriz should be better prepared in defending his statement, in line with his position as a deputy minister.

Harakah mentioned that when Tun Razak tabled ISA in parliament on 2nd June 1960, it's sole aim is to fight communism and communists only. Fullstop. On 2nd December 1989, the Communist party of Malaya (CPM) laid down their arms and signed a peace treaty, effectively ending CPM's insurgency in Malaysia.

Twenty years on, ISA is still used but this time the target are non-communists. Some of the ISA detainees were detained 8 years and still in Kamunting, without trial. These detainees are not communists. The government accused some of them as being members of Jemaah Islam (JI) but to date, the government has not charge them in court nor has the government back up their claims with solid evidence.

8 years in Kamunting, separated from their wives and children...what are the thoughts of their children? How do they grow without their fathers by their side? Try feeling their sorrow and their wishes...

The home minister warned of stern action. He said

“I will not compromise on this until the security and interest of the country are assured.” - Hishamuddein Hussein Onn (Home Minister)

70,000 are with you, Hishamuddein. They too want security but their security that they are looking at is the security that noone will be victimised by ISA. Thus far, ISA has outlived it's usefulness because when CPM signed the treaty in 1989, ISA should automatically become irrelevant because it's existence is dependence on the communist threats. No CPM mean no communists. No communist means no ISA.

Although the government has agreed to review the ISA but the government thus far failed to:-

1. give a timetable when the review will be completed;
2. failed to identify who are the panel members looking and working on the review;
3. failed to indicate when the review will be tabled to the parliament for debate and approval;
4. failed to indicate when they will charge the present ISA detainees in Kamunting;
5. failed to indicate how long more the detainees will be detained in Kamunting;
6. failed to provide solid evidence on the ISA detainees wrongdoings.
   

Hishamuddein can only parrot what the government is saying but has failed to provide new insights when the ISA will be reviewed or abolish. How long more should the people wait? Another 4 years? Or is it going to be one of those election candy of 2012?

What the 70,000 wanted to do is a chance for a peaceful gathering and to be allowed to march towards Istana Negara to hand over their memorandum. Nothing threathening here, no sinister plan. If the minister so wish, he can personally monitor the procession and if it makes him happy, to satisfy himself that this procession is non-political in nature...

As for those who are making plans to be part of history, please do make some preparations as outlined by the organiser. For those outstation participants, our hats off to you for enduring the many road blocks that you may encounter along the way.

Let's make Saturday a fun day...everybody abhors violence...so give 70,000 people a chance to send their memorandum to the King. Is that too much to ask, dear sirs?

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...