Replace ISA with ATA

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Government to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and replace it with Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

Dr Tan comments on the setting up of the Law Reform Committee (LRC) to review the ISA. It is headed by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong. Apparently, this is in keeping with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib's promise to have a comprehensive review of the ISA. We hope the LRC does its work.

After engaging various agencies such as Legal Affairs Department, Legal Aid Department, Attorney-General, Bar Council, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Suhakam, I hope the committee will seriously review laws that are obsolete such as ISA.

Maintaining security in the country is essential. There must be effective measures to protect the nation.

Usually, a government finds laws like ISA very useful to rope in persons with whom they are not comfortable. If these persons are truly a theat to security, their detention may help. But, very often ISA is abused. For example, in 1987-1988, over 107 people were detained under Operation Lalang; a few including Karpal Singh, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and I were sent to Kamunting University.

When I came out of Kamunting in 1988, I spoke more loudly inParliament about issues such as ISA and education. Since then, I have not stopped. If I were to be a threat to internal security in 1987, I should have been a greater threat in the past 22 years.

We must stop persons who are of genuine threat to the nation like terrorists. We must have effective laws against such people. On the other hand, ISA was promulgated in 1960 against Communists. It should not be used against non-Communists. The Malayan Communist Party laid down arms in 1989. Hence, there is a need to replace ISA with ATA.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw