Gerakan will not agree to any proposal by the federal government to reintroduce the now repealed Internal Security Act (ISA), its legal and human rights bureau chief Baljit Singh said today.

Baljit was referring to calls to restore the ISA to control rallies, in the wake of the Bersih 5 gathering on Nov 19, and to detain public figures suspected of corruption without a court order.

On Nov 17, Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali said the proposal would be made at the NGO's annual general assembly and later submitted to the government.

"This is a backsliding move that goes against human and civil rights endorsement of today’s society.

"Gerakan believes the country should not revert to the notorious ISA era of uncontrolled executive power to accuse, adjudicate and imprison people for indefinite periods without authority of the courts," Baljit said in a statement.

He dismissed the reasons proposed to reintroduce ISA, saying they were "completely invalid" as the country has a number of relevant laws that can be used when the circumstances arise.

Baljit pointed out existing laws that serve similar purposes and functions include the Penal Code, Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and the Criminal Procedure Code.

"There is no necessity to bring back the ISA as the issue is not with the absence of ISA, but how the authorities are enforcing existing laws. Proposal to reintroduce ISA is counter-productive to our longstanding efforts to promote and enhance democracy and human rights in Malaysia.

"We should stop referring to past ways of solving today’s problems, stop finding excuses to reintroduce the ISA, which is no longer relevant to today’s Malaysian society,” said the practising lawyer.

Baljit said the government must stand firm and defend its decision to repeal ISA in 2012.

Any decision to reintroduce ISA would have a "negative implication" on the government, he added.

“The enactment and re-enactment of laws should best manifest the interests, will and requirement of the people. ISA is unnecessary and an undesired hindrance in our nation’s aim to achieve the 'developed nation' status.

"The government should not entertain ill-considered and irresponsible calls to reintroduce ISA, but to further commit to human and civil rights enhancement,” Baljit said.

The 1960 ISA was demonised for allowing detention without trial for up to two years, with the home minister empowered to renew the detention period indefinitely.

Passed to curb the communist insurgency, the law was meant to deal with terrorism, subversive activities and public order but according to some, it was abused for political purposes.

Gerakan 'disturbed' by Maria's detention

Meanwhile, Penang Gerakan acting Youth chief Jason Loo expressed his concerns over the detention of Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah under Sosma, where she is currently held in Kuala Lumpur, in solitary confinement for up to 28 days.

Human rights practitioners have condemned Sosma, which may carry the death penalty for perpetrators, as it was enacted to replace the Internal Security Act, which was repealed in 2011.

Loo said his party was “disturbed” by Maria’s detention as Sosma was intended for terrorism and threats to national security.

“The decision to use Sosma on the civil movement is unacceptable,” Loo said in a statement.

“A political intervention is needed from the Home Minister (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) as the attorney-general (Apandi Mohamad Ali) and inspector-general of police (Khalid Abu Bakar) seemed to have erred in interpreting Sosma,” Loo added.

“We may disagree with Maria. but to invoke Sosma to detain her is a gross injustice,” he stressed.

Loo said while the prime minister may be right that most Malaysians are “fed-up” with Bersih, however, Maria’s detention under Sosma “will surely make more Malaysians hate the ruling government”.