PRESS STATEMENT - ISA Detention of Raja Petra Kamaruddin

--- PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ---
(PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA) 12 SEPTEMBER 2008

I condemn the arrest of social activist and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin under the draconian and infamous ISA. By sanctioning the use of the ISA to avert the process of transformational change in Malaysia, the UMNO-led BN government is confirming that it has lost touch with the will of the people and is no longer capable of leading within the framework of a just and democratic society.

Raja Petra should be released immediately and any allegations leveled against him by the Ministry of Home Affairs must be resolved swiftly by the due process of the law. Raja Petra should be given access to proper legal counsel, and his wife and children should not be denied an opportunity to visit him while he is held captive under this illegal detention.

Raja Petra’s detention and the show cause letters issued today to Sin Chew Daily, The Sun and Suara Keadilan, and its earlier banning of prominent political websites, demonstrate clearly the government’s willingness to subvert the freedom of speech at a time when expression of dissatisfaction with the government’s policies is at an all time high.

In the aftermath of the March 8th elections and the Permatang Pauh by-election the Malaysian people have demonstrated their courage and commitment to building a mature democratic society. The dastardly act of detention without trial will do nothing to abate the current government’s declining credibility, and in fact will likely hasten its eventual collapse.

Keadilan reiterates its vehement opposition to the practice of arbitrary detention without trial. We have consistently called for the immediate release of all ISA detainees, as such practices have no place in a democratic society. The ISA is used to quash dissent and smother those who in exercising their right to free speech voice opinions contrary to the preferred views of the ruling clique.

Invoking the ISA just days before September 16th is clearly an attempt to engineer an atmosphere of fear and instability that would justify the government’s heavy-handed tactics against those aligned with the political opposition.

ANWAR IBRAHIM
LEADER OF OPPOSITION

---KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA---

Saya mengecam penahanan aktivis sosial dan penulis blog terkenal, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, di bawah undang-undang kuku besi ISA. Dengan menggunakan ISA untuk menghalang proses perubahan di Malaysia, kerajaan Barisan Nasional yang diketuai UMNO mengesahkan ianya telah tidak berpijak di atas sokongan rakyat dan sudah tidak mampu memimpin Malaysia dengan adil dan demokratik.

Saya menegaskan Raja Petra mesti dibebaskan segera dan sebarang tuduhan yang dibuat oleh Kementerian Hal Ehwal dalam Negeri mestilah diselesaikan dengan segera mungkin menuruti proses undang-undang. Raja Petra seharusnya dibenarkan untuk berjumpa peguam dan anggota keluarganya mestilah dibenarkan untuk berjumpa beliau sewaktu dalam tahanan.

Penahanan Raja Petra dan surat tunjuk sebab yang dikeluarkan hari ini kepada Sin Chew Daily, The Sun dan Suara Keadilan di samping halangan terdahulu terhadap laman web politik yang terkenal, menunjukkan dengan jelas kesediaan kerajaan untuk melumpuhkan kebebasan bersuara di saat rakyat berani untuk meluahkan rasa tidak puas hati terhadap dasar kerajaan.

Selepas Pilihanraya 8 Mac dan Pilihanraya Kecil Permatang Pauh, rakyat Malaysia telah menzahirkan keberanian dan iltizam mereka untuk membina satu masyarakat yang demokratik. Penahanan ini tidak akan meredakan merudumnya kredibiliti pentadbiran sekarang, malah hanya akan mempercepatkan kejatuhan pentadbiran ini.

KeAdilan mengulangi bantahan keras terhadap sebarang tindakan menahan individu secara sewenang-wenangnya. Kami secara konsisten menggesa pembebasan semua tahanan ISA kerana tindakan itu bertentangan dengan prinsip masyarakat demokratik. ISA ternyata digunakan untuk melumpuhkan sebarang kritikan dan digunakan terhadap individu yang mempertahankan hak kebebasan suara mereka yang bertentangan dengan pemerintah.

Menggunakan ISA hanya beberapa hari sebelum 16hb September jelas satu usaha untuk mencipta ketakutan dan ketidakstabilan palsu buat menjustifikasikan taktik kerajaan ke atas mereka yang bersama pembangkang.


ANWAR IBRAHIM
KETUA PEMBANGKANG