I am delighted at the release of 13 detainees under the Internal Security Act, including three leaders from Hindraf.

All of them, including their cohorts, have been accused without proof being tendered of involvement in terrorist activities. They have endured this calumny with admirable fortitude.

In the teeth of the deprivation of their liberty, they held firm to the principles of their struggle and declined to acquiesce to the demands of insolent authority that their release is conditional on their submission to undisclosed curtailments of their freedom.

I congratulate the intrepid P. Uthayakumar and his comrades. It is imperative that Malaysians are informed of the actual status of the released ex-detainees given that they were detained on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities.

The just-released detainees deserve the support of a discerning public. An error-prone government, especially the Ministry of Home Affairs, must hasten to apologize for the libel visited on them throughout the period of detention, namely, that they were involved in terrorist activities.

It seems that an unjustified detention has been ended with an unexplained liberation. These random actions make abundantly necessary that the draconian ISA be repealed and consigned to the dustbin of history.

However, yesterday’s statement by the Home Minister suggests that there is no intention to repeal the Act and that the releases were allowed by reason of permissible current conditions and not because of belated awareness of the law’s obsolescence.

I’m sure I’m not alone in believing that the reprehensible behavior of BN legislators in the Perak State Assembly last week has held the government to public opprobrium and ridicule such that attention has to be diverted with a stunt like releases from ISA detention.

The BN government seeks to propitiate public odium over their flagrant defiance of the norms of constitutional governance with a diversionary tactic that purports to show their tender mercies.

But this alternation between the defiant and the propitiatory has no one fooled as an increasingly less beguiled public awakes to the reality that the BN government is morally and politically shorn of the legitimacy to govern.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

KETUA PEMBANGKANG

DEWAN RAKYAT MALAYSIA

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From The Malaysian Insider
By Melissa Loovi

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman M. Manoharan, one of the three Hindraf leaders released from detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) today, will not be quitting his seat.

This means there will not be any by-election in the Selangor state constituency.

Manoharan told reporters at his home tonight that the mention of his possible resignation may have sped up his release because “Barisan Nasional (BN) would be afraid to lose another by-election.”

“We had so many Pakatan people offering to take my place and I think the BN candidate would have even lost his deposit if they contested against us,” he said while sipping a cup of homemade teh tarik.

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From The Malaysian Insider
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 – While MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu says the impending release of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees would allow Malaysians to move on, self-exiled Hindraf leader P. Waythamoorthy says it is a “blatantly obvious move to divert the attention of the public” from the Perak fiasco.

Waythamoorthy, who is the brother of one of the soon to be released P. Uthayakumar, said there was nothing Hindraf should be thankful for.

“We are not thankful for the release of our lawyers under the ISA unless the government fulfills the 18 point demands that were submitted to the government in 2007,” he said in a statement from London.

He also wants the government to acknowledge the alleged poor treatment received by the Indian community in this country and release not just the Hindraf trio, but all ISA detainees and abolish the law.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein today said that three Hindraf leaders along with 10 other detainees would be released in a few days, amid speculation that the move was politically motivated.

The three Hindraf leaders are P. Uthayakumar, T. Vasanthakumar and Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan. Two others were among 13 ISA detainees freed when Datuk Seri Najib Razak became prime minister on April 3.

Apart from the three Hindraf leaders freed, the others are three Malaysians, two Indonesians and five Filipinos.

In a separate statement, Samy Vellu commended the government for showing concern and great humility by releasing the 13 ISA detainees, including three Hindraf leaders.

He said their release from ISA detention, especially the three Hindraf leaders, would also bring an end to an episode that has created dissatisfaction among the Indian community.

“We can now move on and concentrate on more pressing matters to bring progress and development to the people,” he said.

Saya kesal dengan tindakan rakus pihak keselamatan yang bertindak mengganggu perjalanan program Sambutan 10 Tahun Keadilan Bandar Tasik Puteri yang berlangsung sebentar tadi.

Permit telahpun diperolehi sebelumnya oleh pihak penganjur pada 5 Mei 2009, tetapi dibatalkan pada saat akhir tanpa sebarang alasan munasabah. Pun begitu maklumat sahih mengesahkan ada arahan ‘politik atasan’ di sebalik tindakan rakus pihak keselamatan ini.

Apa yang dikesalkan ialah manipulasi instrumen kerajaan termasuklah FRU dan Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan yang bertindak menggagalkan sambutan program ini semenjak jam 2 petang.

Alhamdulillah majlis diteruskan juga di Masjid Tasik Puteri, Rawang bermula dengan solat maghrib berjamaah diikuti solat hajat dan tazkirah. Syabas dan terima kasih saya ucapkan kepada ahli jawatankuasa masjid yang berani walaupun jelas tekanan serta gangguan dikenakan untuk menakut-nakutkan rakyat.

Saya dan pimpinan Keadilan lainnya membantah keras tindakan pihak berkuasa yang jelas bertentangan dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang membenarkan rakyat untuk berhimpun dan bersuara.

Jika pihak berkuasa berterusan dimanipulasi sebegini rupa hanya demi melampiaskan nawaitu politik Umno-BN, janganlah sesekali kita pelik dan hairan kenapa jenayah ragut terus berleluasa, jenayah culik gagal dibanteras. Keselamatan politik Umno-BN nampaknya lebih penting daripada keselamatan rakyat terbanyak!

ANWAR IBRAHIM