Bar's Press Statement: Raja Petra's 2 year detention order is puzzling

The Malaysian Bar is deeply disappointed that the Government has seen fit to issue a 2-year detention order under S8 of the ISA against Raja Petra. The issue of the order on the eve of the hearing of his habeas corpus application is troubling, as it undermines the application.

Raja Petra is being detained for writing articles, which have long been in the pubic domain. Police reports have been lodged against him by various parties. If offences have been committed, he can be charged in Court for them as he has been in the past.

Raja Petra’s continued detention is therefore puzzling. The ISA is being used against an individual where other avenues that afford him a chance to defend himself, exist. It confirms the impression that the ISA is being used for purposes other than national security. It is being used to stifle dissent.

Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan
President
Malaysian Bar
23/09/08

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am sad that the Government has seen it fit to send RPK to a two years detention without trial. I am also devastated to see this beautiful country sink to the very depths of third world mentality as examplified by Zimbabwe with our government leaders behaving more and more like Mugabe by the day and demonstrating a cavemen mentality as pointed out by a respectable commenter on malaysian affairs.
To Pete I can only say that you should stand proud - you have opened our eyes to the utter corrupt regime in the country whose only interest is to hold on to power for the sake of unashamedly raping the nation through abuse of power. To these corrupters and those responsible for your incarceration I will pray that Allah SWT will levy on them a just retribution in this world and the hereafter. There is absolutely no excuse for a muslim to undertake such evil deeds on another muslim in this holy month of Ramadan. Surely the Heads of Maiwp, JAKIM etc are all too aware of this; yet they succumb to their unbdidled nafsu to be a party to this abomination. To the Police who declare themselves as Muslim I ask you this " What exactly do you feel when you do your five daily prayers to ALLAH SWT" or do you even pray at all to Allah?
To the Government Ministers I say you can try your level best to kill dissent but you CAN NEVER BREAK THE HUMAN SPIRIT TO REACH FOR JUSTICE FAIRNESS TRUTH AND FREEDOM. The history of the entire world has proven this.
Finally, Pete, just hang tough in there. The entire country (EXCEPT the cave people in UMNO) is with you. You SHALL be free SOON, InsyaAllah.