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Preventive detention wrong whatever you call it
Published:  Apr 11, 2012 10:22 AM
Updated: 7:26 AM

VOXPOP 'If someone can be detained without being charged, then how is the new law different from the ISA?'

Law to replace ISA tabled in Parliament

vox populi small thumbnail Boonpou: Call it whatever you want - Security Offences Bill, Special Measures Bill.

So long you have an ordinance or a bill that can detain someone without being charged, it is no different from the ISA - an uncivilised piece of ordinance that can no longer be applicable in the 21st century.

In the context of post-9/11, we have seen again and again how words like ‘security' can be easily hijacked by an authoritarian regime, even by so-called democratic nation-states in the West.

‘Security', ‘peace,' ‘democracy,' ‘freedom' and what have you, are nothing but empty signifiers so long as draconian laws exist to detain suspects without ever charging them, so long as one can be detained for a period of time without recourse to the rights of law.

Joker: Why a need to detain without trial for 28 days? Who could endanger the Agong so immediately that the police would not have time to do a proper investigation?

Remember that the Brickfields police officer who concluded an investigation in one day when he declared the son of the minister who tabled this bill, innocent of wrongdoing.

I'm sure the police consider the Agong to be a more important person that the son of a minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

If they can conclude an investigation that fast, they should have no problems investigating and proving that someone is of a threat to His Majesty.

Yap Cs: The PSM6 were arrested for ‘revolting against the Agong' when there was no evidence at all.

So the existence of such a law was for the BN government to arrest anyone on trumped-up charges. Abolish all such laws. No to ISA or any similar laws.

Anonymous #15712607: Before we get over the moon, please reflect: How many detainees over the last 50 years or so were detained, because:

a) they were a threat to national security

b) planning a "revolt" against the Agong.

These two provisions are still too all-encompassing.

3rdForce: Who would want to plan a revolt against our harmless Agong?

Snoopyjnr: If a person has been acquitted why should he or she be remanded while the prosecution appeals? This is absurd.

Malaysia has no sense of the principles of justice. These people twist and turn to suit their evil ways.

Wira: My suggestions:

1) For any extension of a detention period of more than 24 hours, the detainee must be presented before a magistrate for the extension of the remand period of not more than a week. After which, the detainee must be freed if no charge is pressed against him/her.

2) Monitoring is okay, but only through regular reporting to a police station. The use of an electronic monitoring device is counterproductive if the detainee is only there to assist investigations.

Quigonbond: Reform rendered meaningless. Since when anyone is detained solely for his/her political views?

The police will add salt and vinegar into the mix and there will be some spurious allegations about how peace is threatened, perhaps in the figment of their imagination.

Then you will have national security or public safety issues where the federal government gets to determine what they are without showing proof because it's protected under the Official Secrets Act. Remember PSM6?

For a funny aside, this bill does not say a person cannot be arrested to protect him/her. Remember the Sin Chew reporter that got arrested with Teresa Kok? That too can repeat itself under this legislation.

Headhunter: Is the House speaker going to chase out the opposition and then pass the bill quickly like always?

Altantuya's dad says he saw photo of her with PM

Smartvoters: Interrogate the two police officers who have been convicted of Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder.

If they refuse to reveal who directed them to kill Altantuya, use hard methods like waterboarding, hang them upside down for a few hours and apply sleep deprivation as well.

They definitely will talk and reveal the truth. These policemen did not know Altantuya. They had no problem or quarrel with her. They had no motive to kill her.

But who gave the order? That is exactly what we are all interested to find out.

YF: Why did Altantuya's father Setev Shaariibuu take so long to reveal what he saw? Something is not right here.

AGM: "I was not the only one who saw it... So did Burmaa Oyunchimeg, who was a witness and told the court about the matter during the murder trial ... in 2007," Shaariibuu said.

It has been reported that when Burmaa did this, and both the defence and prosecution lawyers jumped to their feet to object. This is unheard of in a court of law.

Anyone who doesn't see the naked truth here, has their head buried deep in the red clay.

Trueglitter: The admission by Dr Setev Shaariibuu - that he has sight of photo of his daughter, Altantuya with PM Najib Razak and Abdul Razak Baginda - is indeed a very damning piece of revelation clearly set to counteract Najib's proclamation that he has never met her under any circumstance.

Najib's own credibility, as a Muslim, is now in question and in doubt and what more, as prime minister, as he has solemnly swore under the Holy Quran that he has had no involvement with Altantuya.

Brainless: Who can we believe in this case? For me, it is obvious - I don't trust people who can even erase immigration entry records.

 


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