Monday, October 13, 2008

TheStar Letter -PM should abolish the ISA


Monday October 13, 2008

THE decision by Datuk Sri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down as Prime Minister by March, though surprising was not unexpected.
Many may feel let down by his premature exit from the political arena especially when there country is plagued with numerous problems.
They would have preferred him to defend his post and remain as PM for a short while more and pursue his promised reforms with more vigour and zeal.
Similarly there are those who are pleased that he finally agreed to make way for others to take over and manage the affairs of the nation more effectively in facing the current challenges.
Nevertheless it was magnanimous of him to give in to the calls of the people to relinquish his post and make way for someone new to succeed him especially when the country is facing tremendous political and economic uncertainties.
Whoever succeeds him will have a monumental task at hand to rebuild the nation to its past glory.
He will have to possess not only all the skills of political manoeuvring but above all the integrity, courage and whole-hearted commitment to bring bold changes for the benefit of the people and nation. Abdullah promised many changes when he took over the premiership in 2003. Despite his honesty and sincerity in wanting to bring changes and reforms for the benefit of the common man, Abdullah met with limited success.
The hardcore political realities prevented him from succeeding in realising his dreams as he would have wanted.
Abdullah has admitted his shortcomings and plans to continue with his unaccomplished tasks during the remaining short period of six months.
He plans to continue with his attempts to reform the judiciary by establishing a Judicial Appointments Commission and a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to strengthen and empower the anti-corruption body.
He wants to set up a Special Complaints Commission to improve the effectiveness of enforcement agencies and organise a Barisan Nasional convention to tackle head-on sensitive inter-communal problems that are threatening to disrupt the peace and harmony in our multi-racial country.
These may be honourable and praiseworthy aims on the part of the outgoing prime minister but time constraints may not allow him to complete these noble tasks before he leaves.
Nevertheless he should boldly push through these reforms with more vigour and zeal in the remaining time he is in office and impress on his successor the need to continue with them fearlessly.
While these reforms may meet tremendous resistance in their implementation and have limited chance for success, one thing that he can definitely succeed in the short time he has is abolishing the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and releasing all those detained under the Act.
Repealing the law is not an option but a must as the vast majority of the people oppose it.
Pak Lah still has the time to demonstrate that he listens to the people, whom he claims to love so much.
What the people want now is the immediate release of all ISA detainees and the abolition of the Act altogether.
If he can do that he will at least go done in history as the prime minister who restored greater democracy to the nation and freed the people from the clutches of a repressive law.

DR CHRIS ANTHONY,
Butterworth.



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PS from WMP - Challenge to TV3, Utusan, Syed Albar to prove

KENYATAAN AKHBAR
Per : Cabaran terbuka kepada TV3 dan Utusan dan Syed Hamid Albar - Dedahkan rakaman di Rumah terbuka dan gambar-gambar yang kononnya menunjukkan HINDRAF biadap.

HINDRAF mengutuk TV3 dan Utusan dan Menteri Dalam negeri Syed Hamid Albar yang hanya melemparkan tomahan dan tuduhan melulu dan tidak berasas terhadap niat baik, murni dan ikhlas penyokong HINDRAF yang menziarahi YAB Perdana Menteri di majlis Rumah terbuka sempena meraikan Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Pada 22hb September 2008 suatu permintaan ikhlas telah dibuat untuk menziarahi YAB Perdana Menteri di pejabat beliau dan Setiausaha beliau mengesahkan YAB PM tiada bantahan atas permintaan tersebut.
Seramai lebih 500 orang penyokong HINDRAF telah menghadiri majlis tersebut tetapi kurang daripada 50 penyokong dibenarkan bersalaman dengan YAB PM. Kami datang dengan niat ikhlas dengan semangat Maaf Zahir Batin disamping merayu supaya PM membebaskan semua tahanan ISA di hari mulia ini. TV3 dan Utusan dengan sengaja mengapi-apikan semangat perkauman dengan tujuan menimbulkan kebencian masyarakat Islam terhadap masyarakat India. Sekiranya benar tohamah tomahan mereka mengapa mereka tidak berani menayangkan gambar dan klip yang kononnya penyokong HINDRAF bersikap biadap dan kurang ajar.
Disebaliknya kami mempunyai bukti kukuh yang menunjukkan yang YAB Perdana menteri , Timbalan beliau dan ramai lagi menteri-menteri kabinet yang senyum panjang dan menerima salamam penyokong Hindraf dengan hati terbuka dengan semangat maaf zahir dan batin.
Memang benar disamping ucapan ikhlas tersebut penyokong Hindraf merayu agar semua tahanan ISA dibebaskan. Apakah rayuan ini boleh dianggap mencemar agama Islam? Motif Utusan dan TV3 mengapikan sentimen perkauman dan agama harus dikutuk oleh semua lapisan masyarakat Malaysia.
HINDARF membuat rayuan bagi semua tahanan ISA termasuk mereka yang dituduh kumpulan extremis dan pengganas Islam JI. HINDRAF mengambil kira kebajikan semua masyarakat apabila membuat rayuan tersebut kepada YAB PM.
Tahanan kami cuma 5 orang tetapi ramai anak-anak Islam, isteri-isteri Islam, bapa dan Ibu Islam yang menyambut hari Raya tanpa anak, bapa dan suami terkasih mereka. Apakah niat murni HINDRAF ini harus diputar belitkan dengan tuduhan yang kami mengancam dan menghina Agama Islam??
Kami mencabar Utusan dan TV3 agar menayangkan rakaman mereka dengan segera bagi membuktikan tuduhan mereka atau sebaliknya meminta maaf kepada masyarakat berbilang kaum di Malaysia kerana menimbulkan ketegangan perpaduan.
Yang anehnya berpuluh puluh lagi wartawan asing dan dalam negeri dengan krew TV mereka langsung tidak memaparkan atau menuduh HINDRAF biadap dalam laporan mereka.

P.Waytha Moorthy
Pengerusi
HINDRAF

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