Speech by Lim Kit Siang at the Head-Shaving
Protest by 18 Malaysian defenders of human rights over the unjust and
undemocratic ISA detention of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Hindraf 5 and other
ISA detainees organized by Selangor DAP at KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly
Hall on Sunday, 21st September 2008
at 11am:
"No repeal or review of ISA" – will all
MCA, Gerakan, Umno and BN Ministers/leaders "blindly accept" Hamid's
decision?
Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
has shown utter disrespect and contempt for Barisan Nasional Ministers
and leaders who had been calling for repeal or review of the draconian
and nefarious detention-without-trial law, the Internal Security Act
(ISA), when he summarily and categproca;;u declared in Johor Baru
yesterday that the ISA will not be reviewed or repealed.
Only yesterday, MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting announced that the
MCA had enough of Umno political hegemony and "will not blindly accept
every decision made by BN without being consulted".
He said:
"It is only proper to have a discussion with the parties in the
coalition before a decision or policy is made. That is what you call
sharing of power and it is in line with the BN spirit…
"However, at times we were not kept in the loop when certain decisions
were made. If a decision was made without the knowledge of the MCA, then
it is not fair to use BN's motto of 'Friendship and Unity' (Kesetiakawanan)."
Hamid's contemptuous dismissal of calls for repeal or review of the ISA
is an open slap in the face for Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders
who had been making such proposals, including the MCA Central Committee
which had expressed disagreement with the recent spate of ISA arrests
and demanded the release of Raja Petra Kamaruddin.
Are the four MCA Ministers united in their condemnation of the use of
ISA against RPK, DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily
reporter Tan Hoon Cheng?
If so, the four MCA Ministers, together with other Umno and BN Ministers
who had spoken out against the ISA like the Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri
Dr. Rais Yatim, should censure Hamid at the next Cabinet meeting for two
reasons:
1. for allowing the police to misuse their
powers in invoking the ISA against the trio, RPK, Teresa Kok and Tan
Hoon Cheng, on completely unjustifiable grounds totally unrelated to
national security, subversion or organised violence, especially wnen
there are adequate laws in the land to deal with whatever offences
the police could level against the trio; and
2. For showing utter disrespect and contempt for other BN Ministers
and leaders (particularly from the MCA but also including from Umno)
who had called for repeal or review of the ISA by pre-empting any
such possibility without any prior consultation with his
announcement that there will be neither repeal nor review of ISA!
Will there be any Minister left in the
Cabinet who is prepared to put his political future on the line like
Datuk Zaid Ibrahim by demanding that he or she would resign from the
Cabinet unless it decides on Wednesday to repeal or review the ISA?
In his interview with New Sunday Times, Hamid quoted the former Prime
Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who had said when he was Prime
Minister "that if any of the cabinet members did not support a
collective decision, then the best thing to do was to resign from the
government."
Is Hamid suggesting that the MCA Ministers and MCA whose central
committee had called for the release of RPK and the review of ISA; Parti
Gerakan whose leaders have voiced objection to ISA and the arrests; and
Umno Foreign Minister Rais Yatim who yesterday called for a review of
ISA, should resign from the Cabinet and even leave the Barisan Nasional
for their divergence from the "official line" on ISA?
Any response from the Ministers and leaders of MCA, Gerakan, Umno and BN
to Hamid's contemptuous dismissal of their calls for repeal or review of
ISA?
*
Lim
Kit Siang, DAP
Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor
http://dapmalaysia.org