KUALA LUMPUR: Come Aug 1, the Internal Security Act (ISA) will have been in existence for 50 years. The Act was enacted back in 1960 on the premise that it was needed to address the threat posed by the Communist movement.
Since then, the scope of ISA has been broadened and in 1989, the Act was amended when the provision of judicial review was removed.
Today, many human rights activists see the act as unjust and controversial.
This morning, Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) held a Press conference to convey their demands to the government with regards to the Act.
GMI Chairman, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh told reporters: "ISA is an easy way out for the government to make arrests against people without a strong case as it is not needed here." He added that the government also practiced unprofessional and unethical means of interrogation techniques.
GMI is not willing to compromise the issues of detention without trial, therefore they demand for the government to abolish all existing unjust laws such as the ISA, Emergency Ordinance (EO), Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA), and the Restricted Residents Act (RRA) with immediate affect.
GMI also demanded for the release, or charges in an open court for all those currently detained without trial.
Some of the demands include closing down immediately all detention centres such as Kamunting in Perak and Simpang Renggam in Johor.
GMI also wanted the government to make a public apology to all ISA detainees from then until now, to compensate them for the injustice.
The government is also demanded to utilise all existing criminal laws instead of the ISA. GMI wanted the government to investigate all complaints and cases of abuse and torture, even misuse of power on any detainess to the extend of setting up a Royal Commission to conduct the investigation.
At the news conference, Syed Ibrahim also told reporters about GMI's future plans for their campaign against ISA. Next month, GMI and their partner non-governmental organisations and political parties against the ISA will distribute leaflets simultaneously in Kuala Lumpur and other state capitals around Malaysia.
Also on Aug 1 at 8pm, the group will hold a candle light vigil simultaneously around the country.
The Malay Mail
