Dear ministers and members of parliament,

It is disheartening to note that the government continues to detain the Hindraf leaders, blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and others under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

I like millions of right-thinking Malaysian feel frustrated, angry and annoyed at the uncompromising stand of the government in detaining the rakyat under the ISA without giving them the right to defend themselves in the courts of law for whatever ‘crime’ they might have committed.

Such detention is against fundamental human rights and the principles of natural justice and I hope all the YABs and YBs are fully aware of these rights and principle.

It is based on the trust that our MPs would uphold fundamental human rights that voters had voted them into parliament. Any departure from the trust laid onto them would amount to betrayal of the voters.

One of the burning issues during the March 8 general election was the fight against the draconian ISA. If the government continues to detain people under this draconian law, it would certainly lose more ground in the next election or for that matter in any by-election.

Malaysians are now better-educated, more intelligent, understand their rights and would not be easily intimidated by such detention. On the contrary, they would vent their anger through the ballot box and the media as we have witnessed.

Therefore, there is nothing for the government to gain by detaining people under the ISA any longer. I hope the honourable ministers and MPs would be conscious of this fact.

Malaysia is at a crossroads. The political and economic situation is under tremendous strain. At this juncture the government should think strategically and look beyond the horizon as to whether continued the detention of the Hindraf activists and Raja Petra Kamaruddin under the ISA would be beneficial to the government.

It is obvious in my mind that it would be detrimental to the government. It is better to build bridges then to burn bridges.

Further, Malaysia is signatory to the Asean Charter through which it pledges to uphold human rights. Therefore, it is important that Malaysia becomes a model country that shows that it respects fundamental human rights.

It is my humble appeal that our honourable ministers and members of parliament would think and act wisely and release those detained under the ISA.

I also wish that they would explore the possibility of repealing this draconian law that is outdated.