September 15, 2008
YB Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, Malaysia
Blok D2, Parcel D
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62546 Putrajaya
YB Datuk Seri,
Administrative detentions without trial of:
Raja Petra Kamaruddin – blogger
Tan Hoon Cheng – journalist
Teresa Kok – Member of Parliament and State Legislative Councilor
The arrests and detentions without trial and the circumstances leading to the same of the abovenamed three under the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA) on Sept. 12, 2008 are a source of grave concern for the rule of law and democratic values in Malaysia. All three are reported to have been detained under Section 73(1) of the Act for purposes for police inquiry on grounds that there were reasonable cause to believe that they were acting in a manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia. Under the same Act they can be detained for 60 days thereafter you as Minister could sign a detention order for further detention up to 2 years which could further be renewed. All such detentions are without trial and without any form of judicial supervision.
A further cause for concern is over the show cause letters sent to three newspapers by your Ministry to explain within one week for manipulation of sensitive issues, reporting a racially sensitive statement made by a politician belonging to the dominant political party currently in control of the government and for reporting that the present Inspector General of Police had been “paralyzed” after undergoing a bypass surgery. Those notices were served on the newspapers under the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984, a legislation for annual licensing of newspapers by the Executive.
Obviously if their explanations are not found satisfactory by you the annual licenses issued for these newspapers would be revoked. The decision to revoke is final and under the Act cannot be questioned “by any court or any ground whatsoever”. Service of such notices leaves a chilling effect on freedom of the press.
Continue reading ‘Open Letter to the Minister for Internal Security and Home Affairs – YB Datuk Syed Hamid Albar’
