Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein claims that several “isolated incidents” involving police nabbing protestors wearing black was not a sign that the authorities were being overzealous in curbing dissent.

hishammuddin hussein ppsmi languanges debate issue 260209 04 “That is how it has been spun (by detractors),” said Hishammuddin, adding that isolated incidents cannot be used to gauge the standards in which the authorities handle crowd control.

“Wearing black is of course not an offence. Don’t think that I’m so naïve… there is more to it than that,” he said, without elaborating on the police’s rationale for the arrests.

He revealed that 3,500 police personnel were deployed to prevent any incidents at the May 7 Perak state assembly sitting but it has been misconstrued as an attempt to nab individuals wearing black.

Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya, Hishammuddin said this after being quizzed on a spate of arrests, numbering at almost 130 people since May 5, all of whom were arrested while wearing black attire.

Black has become the official colour for protestors against Barisan Nasional’s unpopular February takeover of the Perak government.

'Look at the bigger picture'

The latest incident occurred last night in Kuchai Lama , Kuala Lumpur during a candlelight vigil in front of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok’s office attended by about 15 people.

dap members arrest at teresa kok candle light vigil 190509 11 Eleven individuals wearing black, including Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching and Teratai assemblyperson, were held at the Brickfields district police headquarters until this morning.

Asked why it was necessary to disperse a small group of people holding a candlelight vigil, Hishammuddin replied: “If we don’t stop a gathering of six thousand, do you think that stopping 15 people was done for the sake of it?”

“You have to look at the bigger picture where there are bigger gathering where the police have not taken any action. That I think is a positive development. Why don’t you report on that?” he asked.

While Hishammuddin did not elaborate on the large gatherings that he spoke of, he was possibly referring to the packed ceramah in Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam last Saturday and the subsequent ceramah in Taman Medan , Petaling Jaya on Monday.

Both ceramah was organized by Pakatan Rakyat and was attended by more than 5,000 people.

Controversial laws to be reviewed

In a related development, Hishammuddin said that he has ordered legal advisors of several government departments to submit reports on reforms on several laws, particularly laws involving preventive detention.

dap members arrest at teresa kok candle light vigil 190509 09 Currently, laws that allow preventive detention are the Internal Security Act 1960, Emergency Ordinance 1969 and the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act

1985.

Also up for review are laws concerning the home minister’s powers, public assemblies and freedom of speech, said Hishammuddin.

“Times have changed and we have to re-look at the law. At the same time we have to balance that change with the (rights of the minority and the) rights of the majority,” he said.

Hishammuddin said that society was “maturing” now and thus more space needed to be opened through legal reforms, but the government will not compromise when it comes to ensuring national security.

He said that some of the laws in question were formulated under different circumstances, such as during the Emergency, communist insurgency, Confrontation and during the May 13 racial riots.

Hishammuddin said that he would be seeking opinions from groups outside the government in relation to such reforms, at a later stage.

[VIDEO:17089]