Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email “will be reviewed” is the response from the new Home Minister when asked about releasing the 5 HINDRAF ISA detainees. Not sure when that will be said the minister. Actually, all it needs is just signature from PM. No need to waste time for reviews and hearings. Anyway, this is a welcomed beginning for the community. The indian community hopes and prays for a speedy return of the five people.
Review for Hindraf 5 under ISA detention
By V.P. SUJATA
PUTRAJAYA: The detention of the five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act will be reviewed as there is provision for it, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar. He, however, said he did not know yet when the review period would be for the five who are under a two-year detention at the Kamunting detention camp.
He also said that he was not involved in the review. “Since I am not involved in the review, I will leave it to those responsible to make proposals (on their detention period) and only then can we take the necessary action,” he told reporters Friday at his office here.
Better known as the Hindraf 5, the men under detention for their role in the Nov 25 protests in Kuala Lumpur last year, are P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, K. Vasantha Kumar, R. Kengadharan, and M. Manoharan who won the Kota Alam Shah state seat by a 7,184-vote majority over incumbent Ching Su Chen of Barisan Nasional.
When asked on calls for Manoharan’s release to allow him to take care of his constituency, Syed Hamid said any action taken would be based on precedent, adding that the law was applicable even on those who are under detention.
“We cannot simply react to political parties’ call, we have to react towards what is public safety and peace and will make due considerations if there is no threat to national security,” he said, adding that if they found no changes to the situation, it would not be considered.
Syed Hamid added that Manoharan could not attend state assembly sessions as an elected representative while under detention. But he said Manoharan could take an oath as a state assemblyman at the detention camp as this had been done in the past. Chian Heng Kai and Chan Kok Kit, who won the Batu Gajah and Sungai Besi parliamentary seats respectively on a DAP ticket, did so in the presence of the speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Tan Sri Dr Syed Nasir Ismail, the secretary of the Dewan Rakyat and camp authorities in 1978.
It is the best thing to do under the present circumstances. The 5 leaders should be released unconditionally or charged in open court with whatever charges the AG deems fit.
A quick review by our PM, who was responsible for the detention, is a must.
We hope he can undo the wrong as soon as possible to at least salvage some
advantage from the situation.
Hope his advisers see the need to give proper counsel. Recently, our PM has been receiving bad counsel from his advisers which is causing more damage to him. Are they trying to pack him off by using such strategy? He should also rely
on his own common sense, too.
Is Syed Albar trying to imply that public safety and peace would be in jeopardy if the Hindraf 5 are released unconditionally?
Have they in any way threatened public safety? Have they issued any statements or acted in any way detrimental to the peace of the country?
It was the government which unilaterally branded them as terrorists, traitors and gangsters.
All the Hindraf 5 are practising lawyers of high esteem. They only dared to vocalize the abject plight of the hard core poor in the country. They did it in a very democratic and peaceful way.
The people who created chaos and distruption to public order and safety was the police force. It not only refused to issue a permit but used brutal force to deny a peaceful demonstration. The police are guilty of racial profiling and discrimination.
Syed Albar would be doing the country a great service if he advises the police to serve the people impartially instead of behaving like common bullies and thugs.
Do not force the rakyat to hate the government. The PM should learn to show compassion and love for the innocent. The Hindraf 5 are innocent. They did not commit any heinous crimes and they are not criminals to be locked away.
Got to agree with Balan…despite my distaste for these 5 goondas, I agree that AAB should release them and charge them in open court for sedition. I know for a fact that there is no more enough evidence to charge and put them away for a long time.
Also charging them in the open court will expose HINDRAF’s dirty tactics and how they lied and twisted facts to get the Indians to be emotionally charged up. Then the Malaysians and in particular Indians can see for themselves how they were taken for a ride by these “heroes”.
yes, that would be the best option. if there is a case, charge them and let them have their day in court. after all, the right to liberty and defend oneself is important aspect of civil and personal rights. but if they don’t have enough or any evidence, the ISA is the method. so, if nothing happens in the next two weeks, can we say all the news about links to terrorist etc is lies?
Just now, the home minister said no to samy vellu’s request. earlier he said will review. looks like he himself make the decision without review board.
What do you expect from the tired old Syed Hamid ? Never been the sharpest tool in the shed and never the one who wielded much influence anyway. I am quite at a loss in trying to figure out AAB’s thought process in letting Syed Hamid to handle such a sensitive and important ministry.
In any case the decision lies with the cabinet and PM. I do hope AAB has received the message loud and clear.
But again, had Samy still in the cabinet and MIC won its seats then this request would have had much stronger impact. Now that MIC is in tatters, not sure how much weight SV’s call will have on PM and the cabinet. But I think there are sensible people like Shahrir, Zaid and Rais who might support this call. Let’s just wait and see.
But there are two things I had noticed. One, the wives of the detainees had actually approached Samy. This shows that HINDRAF/Makkal Samdhi’s so-called upraising had failed and these ladies had no choice but to turn to MIC to help. This clearly shows that HINDRAF / MS’ days are numbered too…
Secondly, prominent Barisan Rakyat leaders refused to pursue their pre-GE’s demands that the govt release the HINDRAF 5. Why suddenly quiet ? Indians should reflect on this…
It shows that in the end Indians have only MIC to turn to…for all its imperfections….
there are number of Gundans within mic . They cause misery to Indians for decades ….. they control batu caves committee , maika , suspected in actress murder , gangsterism …..many many more….
Perhaps it’s time for Killer to be a ‘man’ to clean the dirt within the party he is in….
Killer,
i doubt Samy voice carried any weight for quite some time now. AAB won’t even bother to muster a response. my guess is that those 5 will be there until a review board convenes and may be reduce the term to one-year. the claim by hindraf that they will continue their struggle wont be helping the cause, so we can expect tough time to bring the 5 out.
btw, madam pushpa clarified she did not see SV, while the other lady said they met SV long time ago. looks like SV is worried his days re numbered until want to lie in public?
i think both sivarasa and lim kit siang have mentioned that they will pursue the release of Hindraf 5 in parliment. let’s wait till parliment convenes. of course BN MPs or the speakers will shoot down any such proposals.
Poobalan
I disagree, SV managed to free those involved in the Batu caves demo through his appeal to the PM and not because the police lacked evidence. You guys perhaps failed to notice but the whole incident was recorded by PDRM and the culprits who threw stones and other objects were captured in full colour.
You can bet that the govt will only release Hindraf 5 at their own terms and not because the BR demanded for it. My guess is that they will be released as I don’t think they can be regarded as “security threats” though they might be charged in court for seditions.
As for the wives, to be frank, I don’t know who is lying but I tend to think it is the wives. I don’t see why SV has to specifically mention them as he knows if he lied these ladies will make a big deal out of it. The way these ladies denied it sounded suspcious to me. Well, that’s my personal opinion.
I am convinced that Lim and other Indian MPs will pursue this matter as I do trust some senior people in DAP but there has been a deafening silence from other BR leaders.