ID :
55320
Tue, 04/14/2009 - 11:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/55320
The shortlink copeid
RAIS: WRONG TO SAY ISA NOT UP TO STANDARD
KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- The misconception that the Internal Security Act (ISA) is not up to the standard of humanity is wrong, said newly-appointed Information, Communication, Art and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim Monday.
He said there was a process of habeas corpus where the operation of law
operated on the person detained under the ISA, to apply to court and prove
himself free from all blame against him.
"But that part has not been described by anybody. The mechanism that we have
under the ISA, specifically Section 8 and 73, can be challenged through the
process of habeas corpus, which system is also prevailent here, and therefore,
to say that the ISA is not up to the standard of humanity is wrong," he said
during an interview on talkshow 'Hardtalk' aired by BBC.
On why the law allowed indefinite detention without charge or trial, Rais
replied that it was not indefinite as the Malaysian Government used a 60-day
detention period, (just) like the Terrorism Act in Britian where suspects were
held in detention for up to 21 days.
The former foreign minister was also asked on the detention of
blogger-cum-journalist Raja Petra Kamaruddin.
He explained that the blogger was detained not because he was a terrorist
but on the grounds that he was prejudicial to the security of the law in the
country.
Asked whether the ISA would be reformed or repealed, Rais said he believed
that at one point, the act would gradually develop into something which would be
more compatible with the allowances demanded by the international community.
"The ISA was a graduation from the 1948 law given by the British...at that
time, Malaya was subject to the guerilla war, the environment at that time, so
it has developed into a system where it now became questionable to many people.
"We will take that challenge and we will gradually work it out to a point
where the ISA must be amended at one point in the future," he said.
On United Malays National Organisation (Umno), Rais said that although there
were certains defects in the party, the mechanism of improvement was there.
(Umno is the dominant party in Malaysia's ruling National Front, and has been in
power since independence in 1957).
"Not all things are excellent inside, but Dr Mahathir Mohamad, our former
prime minister is coming back to the party to help, not to be engaged in
executive function," he said.
He also dismissed talk that the sodomy charge against People's Justice Party
(PKR) advisor Anwar Ibrahim was one of Umno's way to deal with its opponents.
On the New Economic Policy which was said to be more favourable to the
Malays, Rais said Malaysia's current Prime Minister Najib Razak would take the
best possible way to handle the matter.
-- BERNAMA
He said there was a process of habeas corpus where the operation of law
operated on the person detained under the ISA, to apply to court and prove
himself free from all blame against him.
"But that part has not been described by anybody. The mechanism that we have
under the ISA, specifically Section 8 and 73, can be challenged through the
process of habeas corpus, which system is also prevailent here, and therefore,
to say that the ISA is not up to the standard of humanity is wrong," he said
during an interview on talkshow 'Hardtalk' aired by BBC.
On why the law allowed indefinite detention without charge or trial, Rais
replied that it was not indefinite as the Malaysian Government used a 60-day
detention period, (just) like the Terrorism Act in Britian where suspects were
held in detention for up to 21 days.
The former foreign minister was also asked on the detention of
blogger-cum-journalist Raja Petra Kamaruddin.
He explained that the blogger was detained not because he was a terrorist
but on the grounds that he was prejudicial to the security of the law in the
country.
Asked whether the ISA would be reformed or repealed, Rais said he believed
that at one point, the act would gradually develop into something which would be
more compatible with the allowances demanded by the international community.
"The ISA was a graduation from the 1948 law given by the British...at that
time, Malaya was subject to the guerilla war, the environment at that time, so
it has developed into a system where it now became questionable to many people.
"We will take that challenge and we will gradually work it out to a point
where the ISA must be amended at one point in the future," he said.
On United Malays National Organisation (Umno), Rais said that although there
were certains defects in the party, the mechanism of improvement was there.
(Umno is the dominant party in Malaysia's ruling National Front, and has been in
power since independence in 1957).
"Not all things are excellent inside, but Dr Mahathir Mohamad, our former
prime minister is coming back to the party to help, not to be engaged in
executive function," he said.
He also dismissed talk that the sodomy charge against People's Justice Party
(PKR) advisor Anwar Ibrahim was one of Umno's way to deal with its opponents.
On the New Economic Policy which was said to be more favourable to the
Malays, Rais said Malaysia's current Prime Minister Najib Razak would take the
best possible way to handle the matter.
-- BERNAMA
