Friday, July 17, 2009

Pak Lah finally speaks...repel ISA

"Whether we like it or not, the ISA has been stigmatised as a negative element to the agenda of strengthening democracy and renewal in the country. So, this calls for the government to be brave to discard the old and open a new chapter," Abdullah Ahmad Badawi - former Prime Minister of Malaysia (17th July 2009)
  1. Bernama reported that former PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hoped the Government should consider abolishing ISA which carries negative perception and replace with new laws for preventive detention while protecting the fundamental rights of the people. Earlier, Malaysiakini reported the same news when Pak Lah received his honourary PhD in democracy from UUM.
  2. Pak Lah was quoted by Bernama as saying
    "Whether we like it or not, the ISA has been stigmatised as a negative element to the agenda of strengthening democracy and renewal in the country. So, this calls for the government to be brave to discard the old and open a new chapter," Abdullah Ahmad Badawi - former Prime Minister of Malaysia.
  3. In presenting his views, Pak Lah outlined his reasonings as :-

    • ISA provides ernomous powers and scope which could be too wide ranging, in determining what constitutes to threats to national security;
    • ISA has been stigmatised as a negative element to the agenda of strengthening democracy and renewal in the country;
    • one solution is to limit the scope of preventive detention to certain threats only;
    • draw up a new act specifically to prevent terrorist activities, hence reducing the chances of abuse of power for a political interest;

  4. Reading between the lines of Pak Lah's reasonings, it is clear that one of the positive effects of GE 12 is the government is now compelled to discard the old, draconian ISA which Pak Lah has inadvertently admitted has elements of abuse of power for political interest. Whose political interest? Certainly not the opposition. Does this statement implied that Pak Lah agreed to the suggestion that in the past ISA may have been used for political purpose? If so, what did he do when he was the PM?
  5. In a way, Pak Lah is endorsing a 2 party system in Malaysia. That of check and balance. That of a strong opposition so that their voices will not be stiffled and bullied in the parliament. Pak Lah is saying that a strong opposition can accelerate the ISA ammendment. Are you game? Game to join the crowd this 1st August 2009?
  6. Amongst others, Pak Lah was also reportedly said
    "As a former home minister, I had signed numerous ISA detention orders, and with the government reviewing the law now, I feel compelled to give my honest view on the matter," Abdullah Ahmad Badawi - former Prime Minister
  7. Pak Lah admitted that he has signed numerous ISA detention orders. But Pak Lah never mentioned about his views on how many years is sufficient for a person to be placed under ISA. Signing detention orders is one thing, signing ISA release orders is another thing. How many times did Pak Lah signed the ISA release orders? Or maybe Pak Lah never sign any ISA release order?
  8. Why is Pak Lah talking about repelling ISA now? Is it because he is no longer in power? Is it because he wants to join the proposed anti ISA gathering this 1st August 2009?
  9. Maybe Pak Lah's statement is timely. It is time for the anti ISA gathering organisers to invite Pak Lah or rather Tun Abdullah to join the gathering and jointly head the procession to Istana Negara.
  10. If and only if Pak Lah agrees to join this coming 1st August gathering, I am sure his SIL can mobilise his UMNO youth to walk together with Pak Lah to Istana Negara. What say you? Agree or disagree?
  11. Hopefully, Pak Lah can joins us this 1st August 2009 together with SIL KJ. And just for assurance, Pak Lah don't have to worry about security. I am sure PAS's amal unit is more than capable to provide the seciruty to Pak Lah and his entourage.
  12. However, I know of another thing. If Pak Lah joins the anti ISA gathering on 1st August 2009, the other former PM will not be joining us. Reason? He can't see eye to eye with Pak Lah.
  13. Solution? Why not we let the other former PM leades the crowd to Istana Negara and Pak Lah brings up the rear. In that way, we have 2 former PMs' in our midst, they never "meet" each other during the gathering and we will have a very peacuful gathering. Najib will not dare to raise a finger against his political mentor and his political brother, both of whom are former Prime Minsiters.
  14. But alas...will the organisers think the same approach as I? Let's see...maybe in a day or two, we will know.
  15. Now that Pak Lah has spoken, when will Nazri "the hitman" Aziz comes up with his ISA revision? Let's see and then we can evaluate Nazri on his ministry's KPI and KRA, with regards to ISA ammendments...
Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I will eat my shoes if Pak Lah joins the anti ISA demo.

Why?

He has too much to lose in the sense of what the pay-off he is currently getting from the govt.

And KJ will be really killed if Pak Lah does that.

nightcaller said...

Anon 9:54

Politics is about the arts of possibilities. Do not count Pak Lah out...yet.

And as for KJ, he's a political animal. He knows that BN is running out of luck and he has to start re-branding as "people conscious and people friendly".

He started by calling for royal commission to Teo's death and he needs to follow through with anti ISA to maintain his profile.

You better have a clean shoes..if you really intend to go through with your words :)

Anonymous said...

Ok we shall see , unlike u I don't hold ANY hopes or under any illusion that the system works :-

1 teohs death will have been forgotten 6 mths from now , like kugan , all the anger ,pain will only b borne by teoh's family and fiancee in time, like kugans family no one else will care.

2 fed court will rule against nizar at least 4-1 , we shall finally see how much UMNO is willing to prostitute the constituition just to win

3 watch DSAI punya case and let's see the prejudices that I KNOW will surface , augustine paul act 2 starting soon

Quantum Metal Consultant said...

Paklah hanya menari ikut pukulan gendang yang dimainkkan oleh KJ.

nightcaller said...

Anon 12:58pm

We donlt hope, we just make it happen. How? By continuosly reminding the powers that be on their promises...and it's getting easier now since Najib has his blog so we flood his blog with our request of updates.

Yes, 6 months from now, it will be "Teoh who?"...but come GE 13, his and Kugan's name will stand side by side to remind people of the injustice and our moral obligation to right the wrong.

Nizar's case? I am still waiting to see who will sit in his case.

DSAI's case? Most probably will be dragged again...just for political mileage. Eat ur heart out, Saiful, u've been duped!

Kluangman,

Before I will believe that statement. Now, with Pak Lah out of office, he will dance his own tune. KJ may be dancing together with Pak Lah's joget or KJ may opt for a faster "disco"..it's everyman on his own now.

Anonymous said...

The sleepy head sure can said we don't need isa because the macc is more effective now. Have you heard of any death in isa case??? So you see macc can terminate/eliminate any suspect during interrogation. Remember how sleepy head push for macc to be that powerful.

nightcaller said...

Anon 2:50pm

The sleepy head had no idea regarding MACC's procedure. He thought that he contributed to the transperancy of MACC with advisory panels.

Guessed sleepy head not reading the implication of MACC's mis-behaviour.

ahoo said...

Why the elegant silence for soooooo
looooooog ? Sorry, Tun your days of power and having your say is over. You should had grap the bull by the horn while you are in control BUT, BUT you chose to be silent and thought the "Silent Is Golden".

I have doubt that THEY will hear what you said. If you can't change your people when you were no.1 then don't ever think that by merely saying a few words, bingo, they will hear what you are saying.

The only way that THEY can be reform is when they are in the opposition in Parliament. Thus the dream of a 2 party systems of governance is good for the country. The Malaysians dream may be there if all of us dare to make a stand against injustices, wastages, plunderings, corruptions, racialism etc. We only have one life to live and one country to die in on this Earth, so let us live life to the fullest by making our stand loud & clear !

nightcaller said...

Ahoo

Elegant silence? fat chance...Today in one of the news, Abdullah Badawi, whilst opening Putrajaya UMNO delegates mentioned that if he were still the PM today, he would have taken action to abolish ISA. And he says the reason why he did not take action then was because, it is not an issue when he was the PM.

And now that ISA is becoming a big issue, let's dare hope Abdullah will join the crowd this 1st August 2009...unless he is kept home by Jeane :)

Unknown said...

Pak Lah just maybe want to get some attention...nothing else. But for a starter perhaps it's the beginning of the end of ISA, who knows huh?

nightcaller said...

Hanz

Pak Lah wants some attention?? Nah...what he wants is more sleep :)

We still need ISA as a deterrent law NOT as a political weapon. And we need those detained to be charged under an open court of law.