It looks like someone has finally ‘found’ a way to give ISA a ‘human touch’.
According to The Star, independent MP Ibrahim Ali suggested that the ISA be renamed ‘Love and Caring Act’ so that the law can be ‘acceptable’ to Malaysians.
Independent MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Ind-Pasir Mas) has proposed that the Government change the name of the Internal Security Act (ISA) to the Akta Kasih Sayang (Love and Caring Act) in order to make everyone happy.
In what was seen as an attack on those recently detained under the ISA, Ibrahim said although he was against abolishing the Act, he was definitely in favour of reviewing it to make it better.
“Before the recent arrests, only one or two MPs would speak about. But now there is so much noise about abolishing it.”
Ibrahim said it had to be made clear then when someone is detained, there were rules that had to be followed.
Call a spade a spade. JR
So, it is apparent that even the independents aren’t independent here. And incapable of independent thought either.
Could not the reporter covering this story have simply asked: If a specific law has been broken, can’t we just charge the offender under that law? Why do we need a blanket law that makes for lazy policing?
But it was The Star, right? Ok, then, my question is answered lah.
There’s no need to sugar-coat or camouflage what’s unpopular
By trying to disguise it further in spite of it being so irregular
There’s no way one can hide something that’s truly terrible
When we also know in our hearts that it’s extremely horrible
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng – 161008
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Thur. 16th Oct. 2008.
No need to re brand this act la… As a Muslim, Ibrahim can’t think about reviewing it…coz the act is no trial at all..u can’t judge the person without him to defend himself..I as one of the rakyat want this cruel act to be abolished once and for all…Come on this is a new millennium..not like last time..during communist era.. whereby u can just simply lock people in your cage..they are not animals for GOD’s sake. ISA is against Human rights.. Say NO NO NO to ISA!!
From Malay Mail
The new Individual Safety Act
By Thor Kah Hoong September 16, 2008 Categories: Opinion
The government always means business. We dont joke around, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. It (invoking the ISA) is not done without a concrete reason.
Pardon me for disagreeing, but I have always believed that laughter is a healthy cathartic release, besides being a wonderful defuser of
tense situations.
Hence, praise and credit must be heaped on Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar for his risible role over the weekend.
Before I review the Home Ministers performance, a brief summary of my career in theatre may help put his achievements in perspective. I
directed my first serious play in 1971 and for the next 16 years, I
largely avoided comic scripts because I didnt feel competent to deal
with the material, its delivery and, most important, the timing of its delivery.
In 1987, I created a multi-lingual comedy about life in Malaysia that had houses here and at the Singapore Arts Festival roaring.
In a moment of hubris, I accepted an offer to be a stand-up comic at
the Shangri-la Hotel at an annual dinner for insurance companies in
Malaysia. I was slotted to go on after the Kuen Cheng girls band and
before the headlining dance-troupe (six women and two guys dressed in some costumiers idea of flamenco outfits, gyrating to disco hits).
I will not go into details of that nightmarish night. Lets just say
the oceanic stage swallowed solitary me; I cut my performance short;
walked straight up to the lobby-bar and downed three double shots of
VSOP; didnt achieve the coma I desperately sought; and the next day
insisted that I only be paid half the contracted fee because I was
ashamed of my failure.
Hence, my enthusiastic admiration for the Home Ministers stance. His
answers bordered on the ludicrous and yet they were delivered with
such aplomb; not a grin, not one twitching of the corner of the lips. (Fellow thespians will agree that one of the most difficult things to do in comedy, and a major crime when its not achieved, is not to crack up at your own material.)
Why was the Sin Chew reporter detained under the ISA?
Because her life was under threat. Swift action apparently had to be
taken to ensure her safety.
For 13 years, I was a newspaper editor and leader writer, and I never knew the ISA stood for Individual Safety Act, that this preventive measure was to prevent miscreants from harming the detainees, not prevent people from threatening the stability of the country.
I regret to note that nobody in the country has come out in praise of the police and their efficiency in neutralising the threats on her life in just 18 hours. Applause, please.
Also, the police needed to get to the bottom of things, to ask her
what had happened at that controversial ceramah. So why wasnt she
asked to show up at a police station to make a statement and be
questioned? Why was she arrested? Well, you know it is always
difficult dealing with reporters. Applause again, please.
Yes, we know how reporters are barely literate, and are always
misquoting people and taking their words out of context. Just ask any Cabinet Minister; for decades, media organisations have been asked to raise professional standards, all such well-meaning advice falling on deaf ears.
The only weak line was the following: The police need not refer to me. Its their discretion… If I start to interfere, then people will say I have a political motive. It will send the wrong signals. I cannot interfere.
Sorry, but the thunder of this Teflon non-stick punch-line was stolen a couple of weeks ago when something similar was said about the failed denial of access to offending web-sites.
I had floated the idea that when a certain minister (the one with a
road-kill hairdo) retired, Malaysian comics should have had a memorial night to thank him for all the wonderful material he provided over the years, all the joyous laughs he had given thousands of Malaysians.
I cannot understand the popularity of American sit-coms when Malaysian humour is far superior.
● Thor Kah Hoong (khthor50@gmail.com) firmly believes that laughter
unifies a country.