KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Compensation must be paid to Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees for the “torture” they and their families suffered during their detention, Gerakan Mansuh ISA (GMI) said.
GMI chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said the government should not only take into consideration financial costs but also compensate detainees for any psychological and emotional suffering endured.
“All victims of ISA should be paid gratuity equivalent to the torture and suffering that was experienced by the detainees and their family members,” he told reporters today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced last night the repeal of the ISA and the three Emergency Declarations when both the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat have their next sitting.
Najib said new laws will be enacted to protect the peace, harmony and security of the country. He also announced that the government will do away with annual printing and publishing permits with permits that can be cancelled if regulations are flouted.
While he acknowledged that Najib’s move to scrap the ISA was “very bold”, Syed Ibrahim said questions remained about whether the new anti-terrorism laws would merely “transfer” arbitrary powers from one legislation to another.
“If transferred from the ISA to new laws, then radical change does not happen even though the ISA is abolished,” he said.
He stressed that the government should also specify a time line for the repeal of the ISA or risk Najib’s announcement being seen as nothing more than an election sop.
He said Putrajaya must immediately abolish other laws that allow for detention without trial such as the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA) and review restrictive laws like the Police Act.
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