Politics 101 Malaysia

The ISA Advisory Board will hear representation and defence of P.Uthayakumar, M.Manoharan, V.Ganapathirau, R.Khengatharan and T.Vasanthakumar at 10:00hr next Monday at the Kamunting Detention Camp.

The five Hindraf leaders are represented by Karpal Singh, A.Sivanesan, M.Kulasegaran, and Gobind Singh.

Speech of Haris Ibrahim, lawyer & founder of The People’s Parliament at the recent DAP Forum: ISA Arrests of Hindraf 5 - Ops Lalang II Coming?

Tunku Abdul Aziz, a member of the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysian Police (Royal Police Commission) which was setup in 2005, expressed his utter disappointment at the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill that will be tabled for a second reading in Parliament today.

The SCC, which was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday, has been panned by its critics as being a fraudulent version of the much-anticipated Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

The setting up of the IPCMC was a major proposal made by the Royal Police Commission.

(malaysiakini report, Dec 17.)

Editorial, Bangkok Post, Dec 16.

The detention in Malaysia on Thursday of five lawyers accused of sedition and acts meant to harm the government signals a turn for the worse in an already volatile situation. The lawyers, all members of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), were detained under the country’s Internal Security Act, the first time the measure has been used since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took office.

While perhaps not altogether unjustified, this action is worrying as it comes during a time of increasing civil tensions and a corresponding intolerance to freedom of expression.

There are two main components to the tensions. One is a movement spearheaded by Hindraf, which is charging discrimination against the large ethnic Indian community. Hindraf is loosely associated with a wider movement called the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) which is calling for transparency and freedom of opportunity for all parties in the upcoming election, now set for some time early next year. ”Continued”

Daily Press Briefing

Sean McCormack, Spokesman Washington, DC

QUESTION: The Indians, the (inaudible) this morning?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yes, yes, I did ask about that and my understanding is that there was an arrest and that our expectation as a government is that they — these individuals would be provided the full protections under Malaysian law, that they would be given due process, that they would be — they would be accorded all the rights accorded to any other citizen and that this be done in a speedy and transparent manner. I would also reiterate that it is our firm position that those individuals who want to peacefully express themselves in a political forum or any other forum should be allowed to do so.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK: Thank you.

Tony Pua has an excellent human interest story on V Ganabathirau, a father, husband, social worker, lawyer, DAP member, and Hindraf leader.

Read it and decide if he’s the stuff terrorists are made off.

Good one, Tony.

There is an online petition for the release of Hindraf leaders and supporters.

The petition is, like the memo to the Crown, badly worded. Silly bugger.

It is here, if you are interested.

I have signed it and am giving it conditional support. I hope you’ll sign it too but stress in the comments box that putting a racial angle into this will only worsen the situation.

The following are five facts on the ISA, written by Gill Murdoch, Singapore Editorial Reference Unit, for Reuters.

i) Passed in 1960, three years after Malaysian independence, the ISA was designed to curb a perceived communist threat. It grew out of emergency regulations that were part of then Malaya’s campaign against the Malayan Communist Party in British colonial times. Neighbour Singapore, once part of Malaysia, kept the ISA after leaving the Malaysian Federation in 1965.

ii) The act allows for the arrest and detention for an indefinite period of a suspect judged as “likely” to commit an act deemed dangerous to national security. Detainees can be held for 60 days without legal counsel, and preventive detention can then be renewed every two years. ”Continued”

Special prayers will be held 19:00hr today at the Jalan Bandar Mariamman Temple, KL for the safety and release of the 31 Hindraf supporters detained in Sg. Buloh Prison and the leaders of HINDRAF namely P.Uthayakumar, M.Manoharan, R.Kengadharan, B Ganabathi Rao and Vasanthan who are now detained in Kamunting Detention Centre under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

There will also be a gathering in front of the Kamunting Detention Centre this Sunday (16th December) to show support for the detainees.