YOURSAY 'To make it worse, it is now subject only to the discretion of the police, and not even the ministry.'

Not easy for gov't to repeal ISA, says Najib

your say FellowMalaysian: I can understand why it is not easy for the home minister to give up such powers. ISA has allowed unrestrained and unfettered abuses by the ruling BN government in detaining individuals up to a period of two years.

Many opposition leaders have been mercilessly detained under this draconian act just because of their differences in political beliefs.

In fact, the government should make a public apology when withdrawing the law for the horrifying abuses that it has caused many Malaysians to suffer at the hands of past BN leaders.

Quigonbond: What a lie. The Special Measures Bill still retains the power of unfettered detention, and to make it worse, it is now subject only to the discretion of the police, and not even the ministry.

This way, Umno gets to be unaccountable politically, while still pulling the strings of certain senior officers in the police force to hamstring the opposition parties. The cure is worse than the disease.

Democrat: It's simple here. The police still have the powers to arrest without warrant and detain a ‘suspect' for 28 days without trial.

The home minister is still in charge of the inspector-general of police (IGP). So the home minister still has direct powers indirectly. Agree?

Lim Chong Leong: It is more difficult to give up power when you know that the moment you do that, the jailhouse awaits you.

This is different from US presidents who hand over power easily after two terms and they are given due respect to carry on doing governmental or non-governmental work, except for the two Bushes, who are suspected of war crimes.

Bystander: PM Najib Razak might has been misinformed. The Internal Security Act (ISA) has never been accepted by the rakyat all these years.

Why take such a long time to repeal ISA or is it because of the 13th general election? No prize for the correct answer.

Dark Knight: "The (police) force did not oppose it but hoped that the move will not impede their job... dealing with global terrorism, extremists and crime syndicates," said Najib.

Najib, if the ISA was all about global terrorism, extremists and crime syndicates, then why were Malaysian opposition leaders, activists and civil rights leaders who fought for a just Malaysia and who had no connections with terrorism held captive under the ISA for so many years?

Musa Hassan, the former IGP (inspector-general of police), together with the current attorney-general, both of whom have been implicated with crime syndicates, have got away scot-free for their alleged crimes of undermining national security. Why have they not been arrested for their heinous crimes?

The MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission), tasked with preventing corruption that could even lead to breach of national security, had not done anything to stop the evil. Was MACC directed to close one eye for political expediency?

Sure, Najib, it's not easy when you and BN leaders like Dr Mahathir Mohamad are implicated.

Bernard Phillips: The PM again demonstrates just how much he is out of touch with reality. The powers the home minister and the police have are just what Parliament and the people had given them.

And if truth be told, those MPs who helped pass these laws were never given the full security situation in the country.

Who were the real 'bogeymen' in the country? Not the opposition MPs or unionists. Not human rights activists. Not lawyers fighting for rights of their clients. No!

These ISA laws were just a convenient tool to be used for the benefit of the government. To frighten the public.

I hope that when Pakatan Rakyat comes to power, there will be a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to probe into the abuses that have taken place, all in the name of law and order.

Those detainees unjustly incarcerated should have their side of the story told.

Wira: Why does Najib think that giving up powers that contravenes the spirit of our federal constitution a difficult thing to do?

The only reason I can find is that the government can no longer use the ISA to intimidate opposition to their rule.

Bumiasli: Repealing ISA, amending laws, etc, is not what makes the rakyat happy. These are little things compared to the injustices taking place in the country.

A good leader should ensure that everything done during his term should be in public interest and not in favour of the politicians in power.

We all know that what you repeal or amend today can always be reverted once you get back into control. It's an old game played by politicians.

20121221Disaster: What power? We are talking about abuse of power here. So there must be checks and balances.

It is important to prevent an irresponsible devil from simply abusing his power and can easily get away with it without any responsibility. This is why we call the present government a lawless government.

Tailek: Excuse me, but the power to detain under the ISA is not the personal power or property of the home minister.

He is acting on behalf of the rakyat to protect the national security of the country where detention warrants it. So don't go and claim as if the BN is making a big sacrifice by abandoning the ISA.

James1067: It's very difficult to give up such powers, but easy to separate families from their loved ones just because of political differences.

Easy to put the breadwinner away and watch the families struggle to survive. Children having to miss their fathers as they grow up just because you decide to play God.

You become judge, jury and executioner just because people don't toe the line. How do you sleep soundly in bed knowing that the others are missing their love ones.

That is why when too much power is in one's hands then most of the time it is used wrongly. Innocent victims have to pay the price just because others want to remain in power.

 

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