Call on All Politicians and Parties to Reject Draconian Laws and the Government that Uses Them.

Call on All Politicians and Political Parties
Follow Zaid’s Suit, Fulfill Moral Obligations, and Openly Reject Draconian Laws and the Government that Uses Them

SUARAM welcomes the decision of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Zaid Ibrahim to resign from his position in the government in protest against the government’s use of the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) in a series of arrests last week, and also its general failure to respond to calls for reforms, particularly the judicial reform.

We view this as a principled decision that should be followed by all other politicians and political parties. By resigning from his position in the government, Zaid Ibrahim demonstrates his willingness to fulfill his moral obligations to work in the interest of the Malaysian people, and not for personal political purposes. We are hopeful that other politicians and political parties will show similar sense of responsibility to the Malaysian people.

The existence of draconian laws like the ISA, let alone the convenient use of these laws, illustrates the scant regard that the current Barisan Nasional (BN) government has for human rights and the rule of law. It reveals the hypocrisy of the BN government for having “made the guarantee of the individual’s fundamental rights and liberties” and pledged “to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country” when it sought election to the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006.

We question the flimsy grounds provided, and therefore the legitimacy of the BN government, for the latest round of ISA arrests. The latest round of arrests serves as a reminder of how draconian laws like the ISA are conveniently and arbitrarily used by the BN government to hold on to power in times of political crises. By doing so, the BN government has clearly gone against the will of the Malaysian people. Such a government is indeed a morally-bankrupt and indefensible government.

On this occasion of “Malaysia Day”, the 45th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia, it is a shame that the government of the day still relies on the ISA – a repressive tool that was left behind by the former colonial government, who used it to suppress the people’s movement for independence of this country – in order to cling on to power.

SUARAM calls on all politicians and political parties in Malaysia to fulfill their moral obligations to the people. We urge them to follow the example set by Zaid Ibrahim and reject all draconian laws which are against the interest of the nation and its people, and the government that uses these laws. As the BN government has clearly failed to uphold its responsibilities to serve and protect the interest of the Malaysian people, it must also be rejected.

Released by,

John Liu
Coordinator