F for Malaysias human rights record
Human rights organisation Suaram has found that the 'war against terrorism' in Malaysia has not only eroded civil and political rights, but has also set back campaigns against draconian security laws.
In a summary of its 2002 annual human rights report, Suaram noted that the executive used the "convenient excuse" of carrying out anti-terrorism measures to usurp additional power over the past year.
"The events of Sept 11 gave the executive a convenient excuse to further clamp down on rights. The Anti-ISA movement was reaching its peak when Sept 11 happened," Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong said today during the launch of the executive summary.
"Security laws may now be tightened even though the Internal Security Act (ISA) is already among the most draconian of laws in existence, because it excludes judicial review of detention orders."
For the rest of this story and more, subscribe for only RM150 a year. If you're already a subscriber, please sign in.
Sign in Subscribe now