‘Free Teresa’ parliamentary caucus set up

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz | Sep 17, 08 8:01pm
Malaysiakini

Around 50 Pakatan Rakyat MPs came together today and set up a parliamentary caucus aimed at pressuring the government into releasing Seputeh MP Teresa Kok from detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Although the immediate task on the caucus’ agenda was to affect Kok’s release, it also aimed to seek the freedom of all ISA detainees as well as the abolition of the act, which provided for detention without trial, said DAP leader Lim Kit Siang.

“When a member of parliament is held, not only does it affect the liberties of an individual, it affects the system of parliamentary democracy and, thus, the ordinary people, because it is their right to elected representation and spokespersons.

“This (detention) denies not only the constituents of Seputeh at Parliament – as we feel members of parliament do not merely represent their respective constituencies but represent all the people – but denies 26 million Malaysians who have the right to members of parliament who can voice and act freely,” said Lim at the offset of the caucus’ inaugural meeting in Parliament.

“This is the root issue and we want the government, the police or the executive to accept this principle.”

In addition to Kok, who was arrested ostensibly for her alleged role in an Islamic matter, controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Sin Chiew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng were also picked up last Friday.
Tan, however, was released 16 hours after being picked up at her home in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

“When they detain a member of parliament under the ISA, there must be some prima facie case. In this case, there is no prima facie case whatsoever. It is only proper for us as MPs to set up this parliamentary caucus to free Teresa Kok,” said Lim.

“This does not mean we are not addressing Raja Petra or the other ISA detainees. This is one of our concerns regarding human rights. We regard the ISA as a nefarious, notorious and iniquitous law that should be abolished.

“But because we are MPs, we also have special responsibility over the freedom and position of an MP,” said Lim.

Meeting the DGP

Lim said he hoped the caucus could meet Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar over Kok’s detention, while letters would be sent to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) on the matter.

A motion would also be submitted to the office of Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia for the House to debate Kok’s arrest, said Lim.

“When Parliament reconvenes on Oct 13, the first item for debate should be the arrest of a member of parliament, in this case, Teresa Kok,” he added.

Former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Zaid Ibrahim, who yesterday announced his resignation over Kok’s detention, was also present to lend his support for the caucus.
Zaid, who was greeted with applause by the Pakatan MPs today, reiterated that his stand on the ISA arrests last Friday meant he could no longer remain a member of the cabinet.

He also said his personal acquaintance with Kok when she was the secretary in the Inter-Parliamentary Caucus on Burma, has led him to disbelieve allegations that she was either anti-Malay or anti-Islam as her detractors allege.

“I cannot, for the life of me, believe she is anti-Islam, anti-Malay, anti-anything. She’s a wonderful lady. I can’t see how this person can be a threat to public order and national security. I’m speaking from personal experience here.

“I think if the government has some thing (information) that we don’t have, I think the government should disclose it,” said Zaid.

Zaid said the government should only use the ISA against terrorists or other such dangerous people.

“If we’re going to arrest everybody we don’t like, then we don’t need the laws. But because we use the ISA for political purposes, there will be abuse,” he said.

Caucus office bearers

Following his last remarks, however, a string of PAS, DAP and PKR MPs took the opportunity to insist that the ISA should not be used judiciously or even reviewed, but abolished completely.

These included PAS’ Kuala Krai MP Dr Hatta Ramli, PKR’s Subang MP R Sivarasa and DAP MPs for Bagan and Bukit Gelugor, respectively, Lim Guan Eng and Karpal Singh.

“I must take issue with Zaid Ibrahim when he qualified that the ISA can be justified under certain circumstances. A detention without trial cannot be justified under any circumstances,” Karpal asserted.

Lim, PKR’s Gombak MP Mohd Azmin Ali and PAS’ Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaffar were chosen as the joint chairpersons of the caucus.

Sivarasa, Hatta, PAS’ Kubang Kerian MP Salahuddin Ayub and DAP’s Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng were chosen as the joint vice-chairpersons.

The joint secretaries of the caucus, meanwhile, are Batu Gajah MP Fong Poh Kuan, PAS’ Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, and PKR’s Selayang MP William Leong.