Syed Hamid Albar today revealed that Hindu Rights Action Force chairman P Waythamoorthy had been issued an arrest warrant under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows detention without trial.
Met in the Parliament lobby today, the minister told reporters that the warrant was issued before he was appointed home minister.
“There was an ISA warrant against him and they (Home Ministry) wanted to revoke his passport. But when I became the minister, I said I do not want the passport to be cancelled,” he said in the bid to clarify the status of the Hindraf leader who is currently in self-imposed exile in London.
However Syed Hamid, who is former foreign minister, did not say whether the arrest warrant is still valid.
Yesterday, Deputy Foreign Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri said Waythamoorthy's passport was not revoked despite that the Immigration Department had been given instruction to do so.
Syed Hamid reiterated today that Waythamoorthy’s passport is still valid and the Hindraf leader is entitled to travel using the document.
In May, the minister denied that Waythamoorthy's passport has been cancelled soon after the Hindraf leader was informed by British immigration officers that Kuala Lumpur had revoked his passport.
Waythamoorthy left for London last November after organising a massive Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur, which subsequently saw five of his colleagues detained under ISA.
No plan to review ISA
Meanwhile, Syed Hamid said the government has no plans to review the ISA and other preventive laws as they are "still relevant".
“They are needed to prevent any activities that could threaten national security,” he said in response to a written question from Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor).
The security law, he added, has provisions for detainees to present their case to an advisory board to appeal for an early release.
“It also allows them to present their cases to courts through the habeas corpus applications,” he said.
There are currently 62 people detained under ISA for various offences.
source: malaysiakini
15/07/08
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