Anwar expressed support for families of ISA detainees

People’s Justice Party (KeADILan) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed his support for families of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees – an act which provided for detention without trial.

He also lent support to KeADILan president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail plan to focus on five issues of importance during the next parliamentary session which will see the opposition having the chance to play its role effectively for the first time.

Wan Azizah, who is poised to become the country first woman opposition parliamentary leader had indicated that “laws that deprive Malaysians of their fundamental liberties must be abolished”. “I have met with wives and children of ISA detainees on the night (of March 25) to enquire on their well being and to express commitment to the statement made by Azizah,” Anwar said.

“(A)mong her main proposals to be tabled in the next parliamentary sitting were for ISA detainees to be released without condition,” he said in a posting today on his blog. PAS opposes ISA The party - along with other opposition parties Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) – had indicated that the would repeal the Act should they come to power.

PAS specifically had outlined in its election manifesto the need to amend or repeal draconian acts. During the March 8 general election, the opposition won 82 seats to deny the ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi its two-third majority gripped on parliament for the first time in almost five decades.

Speculation is rife that a number of 30 parliamentarians from the ruling coalition had already expressed intention to join the opposition with KeADILan youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohamad Akin confirming the certainty for near half of number. Abdullah’s government is also in danger of collapsing due to internal rift within the party but the change in the leadership of the ruling government would not likely to change any laws that violates human rights, especially the ISA.

The opposition fielded 17 ex-detainees of ISA in the March 8 election with 14 of them successfully winning seats. Eleven of the 14 candidates contested for parliamentary seats.

Saadon Aksah/ES