Sars: Kit Siang gives Chua 48-hours to retract threat
DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang has given Health Minister Chua Jui Meng 48 hours to retract the national security threat against him or he will lodge a report with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
In a press statement today, Lim described the minister's threat as a "quadruple violation of human rights" - the right to life, information, personal liberty and freedom of expression.
DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang has given Health Minister Chua Jui Meng 48 hours to retract the national security threat against him or he will lodge a report with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
In a press statement today, Lim described the minister's threat as a "quadruple violation of human rights" - the right to life, information, personal liberty and freedom of expression.
"Chua's warning of dire action against me after he chaired the first meeting of the National Committee on Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and declared that it was now a national security matter was most ominous," he said.
Lim said since the minister equated him with "rumour-mongering, irresponsible statements and national security" while adding that the Home Ministry and the police have "taken cognizance" of his statements, would make him the subject of a police crackdown.
Using ISA
The former Opposition Leader explained that there are two ways for the police to take action.
He said they would use the ordinary process of the law by arresting and prosecuting a person for criminal offences or resort to extra-judicial actions like invoking the Internal Security Act.
"As Chua has not lodged any police report against me for the police to initiate investigations of his specific complaint that I had violated a crime chargeable in a court of law, the only police action that could be contemplated is the ISA," he said.
The veteran politician stressed that he takes the minister's threat seriously since there have been many instances where the Barisan Nasional government "abused the ISA for its political purposes completely unrelated to national interests or national security".
Meanwhile, the DAP leader also denied that he had issued a challenge to Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to arrest him under the security law as reported by malaysiakini yesterday.
"A check with the relevant media statement which I issued will show that I had never issued such a challenge to Abdullah to detain me under the ISA, he said.
Editor's note : Malaysiakini would like to apologise for the error and any inconvenience caused by it
