No amount of amendments to the Internal Security Act (ISA) is going to make the legislation any less draconian, said the Abolish ISA Movement (GMI) today.

The government has recently announced that there will be amendments made to five key areas in the law when Parliament commences its sitting next week.

However, the anti-ISA coalition questioned the government's commitment to amend the act as the proposed changes would not touch on the indefinite detention period without trial under the law.

The movement, which is a coalition supported by more than 80 non-governmental and political organisations, has instead demanded that the ISA be abolished altogether.

batu talam nominations 170107 hishamuddin hussein The key areas which are to be amended, according to Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein ( right ), are the the power of the minister; duration of detention; the rights of and treatment given to the detainees; public perception that the enforcement of the act is purely for political purposes; and detention without trial.

No details

GMI president Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh told reporters that the coalition representatives and several other non-governmental groups attended a public session to discuss the ISA amendments.

However, there were no details provided on the exact changes that are about to be announced.

“Detention without trial in any form defeats the principles of justice and the right to trial. The two important principles are recognised in any constitution and it is the basic instrument of human rights,” said Syed Ibrahim.

“The government's amendment to this element was not clarified, although if the advisory board is considered to act a judicial body, it is still wrong as the advisory board is not independent and trials are held behind closed doors,” he said.

Although, GMI acknowledged the fact the government needs to protect the country against terrorism, the government has yet to prove and convince that those detained are actually of threat to the nation.

He added that the movement's mass rally on Aug 1 against ISA was a referendum that the people rejected the archaic Act.

Repeal of laws

Beside the abolition of the ISA and release of all the detainees in Kamunting, GMI also called for the repeal other restrictive laws such as the Emergency Ordinance (EO) and the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA).

ijok election phantom voters 280407 syed ibrahim syed noh Syed Ibrahim ( left ) said that the coalition will now embark on a new campaign against the amendment and call for the abolition of the act by engaging the people via dialogues, distribution of pamphlets and forums.

Also present at the press conference in Kuala Lumpur today were Serdang DAP MP Teo Nie Ching, Selangor assemblyperson Saari Sungib and PRK Information Chief Lateefah Koya as well as PAS Muslimat chief Nuridah Mohd Salleh, Suaram coordinator E Nalini and former ISA detainee Ahmad Poozi Darman.

“The main issue of ISA is that you detain people without trial, but if you arrest the person and you don't put them on trial, how would you know what they are doing is for national security?” asked Lateefah.

She added that if the government, as claimed, had used the act to detain wanted people, why then are they then deported or released without having to undergo rehabilitation. 

“The government is just embarking on a pre-emptive public relations gimmick, pretending to hear the voice of the people who marched on Aug 1,” said Lateefah.