The power to take away a human person's freedom, to shut him or her away for years without an avenue to present his or her case in an open court of justice is immoral and unconscionable.

The Internal Security Act (ISA) needs to be abolished. Such an arbitrary instrument of near absolute power must never remain in the hands of any government professing any political persuasion, creed or manifesto.

Any such power vested in any select group of individuals, regardless of any profession of good intentions, inevitably and invariably leads to abuse and self-serving lines of action.

The ISA which legalises detention without trial does violence against a whole host of human rights.

Much can be said for reform of the judicial system in any country, and much can and should be done to reform our country's judicial system.

But justice in a civil court is intended to guarantee an opportunity for an accused person to defend himself or herself.

This guarantee is removed by the ISA.

Human society cannot speak about security at family, community or national level if fundamental civil liberties are removed from the equation.

The history of civilisations is strewn with the disastrous consequences of arbitrary, heavy-handed acts against humanity.

History teaches again and again that the end does not justify the means.

Mere human beings, no matter how smart, sincere or well-meaning should not assume God's role and usurp God's throne.