Just like the classic tale, the new administration's pledge to conduct a comprehensive review of the Internal Security Act has taken some bizarre and even comical twists.

anwar ibrahim sodomy allegation saiful bukhari azlan first day in court 070808 lim kit siang 01 This is the conclusion drawn by opposition stalwart Lim Kit Siang after reading the front-page report in the Star yesterday under the headline 'ISA review begins'.

Calling it a 'misleading' headline, he said the report aimed to provide the impression that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was honouring his promise to re-look the draconian act.

"But thinking and perceptive Malaysians would have wondered whether this was the case.

"Many questions cropped up immediately when they read in the report that the government's 'first step towards reviewing the ISA' was the formation of the Law Reform Committee under the chairmanship of deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong on April 29," he said.

"Is Najib really serious about a comprehensive review when the committee assigned this task is headed by such a political lightweight. Just on this point, the whole idea could be dismissed as hogwash," he added in a statement.

parliament and anti isa internal security act Following this, Lim said the story took on a surreal and even 'Alice in Wonderland' quality when it was reported that the committee's first step would be a briefing session tomorrow and Thursday involving the Legal Affairs Department and the Legal Aid Bureau.

"What a laughable state of affairs! What has the 'comprehensive review' got to do with these two government agencies?" he added.

The surrealism deepened

According to the veteran politician, the surrealism deepened when Liew made further revelations such as:

  • The 'condescending' statement that his committee would work with the Home Ministry to "amend the relevant parts" of the ISA.

  • He would "engage the Malaysian Bar and other legal associations in the country as well as the Attorney-General's Chambers, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Suhakam."

liew vui keong Lim then asked if Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail would 'engage' with such a lowly deputy minister or would Liew ( left ) have to engage with third or fourth-liners from the ministry and the Chambers?

"The message from the Star front-page report yesterday was that Najib was just not serious at all about any comprehensive review when it is left to such a political lightweight.

"I withheld comment as I expected a conflicting version. It came within hours from Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who said it is the home minister who is tasked to conduct the review," he said.

A perplexed Lim then asked who is actually responsible for the review?

He also called on Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of KPI for ministers Dr Koh Tsu Koon to take note of this development in the Najib cabinet as it must drag down the KPIs of the cabinet members concerned.

No more 'claptrap'

Lim said Malaysians do not want 'another round of claptrap' by Barisan Nasional leaders about reforming the ISA as had happened many a time in the past two decades.

The DAP leader said Najib should prove his sincerity by releasing all ISA detainees, close down the Kamunting detention centre and suspend ISA for two years pending repeal or review.

Lim also zeroed in on Muhyiddin's remark yesterday that the review of the ISA tasked to Hishammuddin 'would take time'?

"Two years, three years or indefinitely until after the next general election? This is ridiculous as in the past two premiership of Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the ISA had been repeatedly reviewed internally by the government.

"There must be mountains of papers of such review collecting dust and mould in government archives – not to mention the available parliamentary, Suhakam, Bar Council and civil society materials," he said.

najib announce new cabinet lineup 090409 06 If Najib is serious about a comprehensive review, Lim said there is no reason why the cabinet at its meeting tomorrow cannot decide on a deadline for such a review so that necessary legislative follow-up actions could be made in the 10-day meeting of Parliament from June 15 – 30.

"After the cabinet meeting tomorrow, Najib should let the country know who is assigned the task of the review - whether Liew or Hishammuddin.

"Furthermore, why is he not prepared to allow a high-powered independent committee or even Suhakam to undertake such a review, giving it a one-moth deadline to submit its recommendations?" he said.

"Najib and his cabinet should not be the first to forget their new motto of '1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now' so as not to become a national joke in record time to mean '1 Black Malaysia. People Last. Performance Never'," he added.