Will the next PM repeal ISA, Sodomy laws, NEP,…..?
” The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, went on the record in 1988 to state “If we want to save Malaysia and Umno, Dr Mahathir (then Prime Minister) must be removed. He uses draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act to silence his critics.” The year before, he had also stated “Laws such as the Internal Security Act have no place in modern Malaysia. It is a draconian and barbaric law.” In 2003 when he became Prime Minister, however, Abdullah called the ISA “a necessary law,” and argued “We have never misused the Internal Security Act. All those detained under the Internal Security Act are proven threats to society.” But opposition parties believe it is a threat to Umno rather than a threat to the country.
Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Mahathir had also adhered to a critical view of the ISA. In 1966, when Mahathir spoke out in support of the Internal Security (Amendment) Bill 1966 as a backbencher, he stated that “no one in his right senses like[s] the ISA. It is in fact a negation of all the principles of democracy.”[5] After becoming Prime Minister however the former premier had little if any hesitation using the law to suppressed what he termed racialism but was seen by some as a move against his political opponents, the most notable of events being the infamous Operasi Lalang in 1987.”
The above are lifted from wikipedia, which as you know is the encyclopaedia of choice for millions of Internet users worldwide.
Today, Anwar was reported to have said:
“Invoking the ISA just days before September 16 is clearly an attempt to engineer an atmosphere of fear and instability that would justify the government’s heavy-handed tactics against those aligned with the political opposition,” Anwar said in a statement issued late on Friday.” Sept 12th 2008
If Anwar becomes PM, will he repeal the ISA? Will he repeal sodomy provisions in the Penal Code? Will he repeal the NEP and ensure equality for all Malaysians? Will he guarantee press and Internet freedom? Will he ensure the judiciary is made up of fair-minded men and women who are immune to corruption? Will he amend the Constitution to achieve all that?
Anwar was Education Minister during Operation Lallang 1 in 1987. What was his response then to the mass arrests and detentions?
When the Malaysian judiciary was attacked in 1988 by Mahathir, what was his response?
What was his response when ultra right-wing Muslim PKR MP Zulkifli stormed a Bar Council forum on Islam recently, saying that Islam comes first for him? Note that the forum did not challenge Islam but discussed about the impact on the families of non-Malay converts to Islam.
Still, with the deteriorating conditions in Malaysia, we need someone other than from UMNO, and Anwar despite being untested viz the above, is a speck of hope.
Hopefully, when and if Anwar does become PM, he will free ALL ISA detainees, some of whom have been incarcerated for more than 10 years. Malaysia is one of the few countries in the world which still has detention without trial laws which more often than not is used by the government to squash dissension.
It is too obvious that UMNO is selectively using ISA - it is in danger of isolating itself from the rest of its component parties as well as the Opposition, not to mention most Malaysians and the international community. Even the loyal MIC man, Samy Vellu is speaking out against the arrest of Sin Chew journalist under the ISA. MCA and Gerakan have spoken out against the ISA. It seems only UMNO is alone in happily using ISA as a weapon of last resort. That is the kind of leadership UMNO has now.
The Great Malaysian Chess Game has just entered the End Game as of 12th Sept 2008.
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