Finally Malaysia Beats Australia and the UK

In the wake of September 11 and the Iraq War, many countries have passed laws to combat terrorism.

In Australia they want to change the laws so a person can be held for 14 days before being charged.

In the UK, the police want to be able to hold for 60 days, up from the present 14 days before being charged.
Never mind that the police were responsible for the wrongful detention of innocent men and women for 15 years. This was made into a thrilling movie called “Sins of the Father.”

In this respect, Malaysia is eons ahead of the UK and Australia. We have the ISA that was passed in 1960 after the Emergency, when our young nation was under the threat of the Communists.


The Emergency was declared over in 1960 but the government passed the ISA to cover all future threats. In fact it has become expert at using this law to stifle dissent among the common folks as there are no more communists left to fight. Now they go after opposition and even BN politicians to appear even-handed during Operation Lallang!


You can learn more about that dark period of the nation’s history.

This is an interesting recollection of a Malayan during the Emergency years.

In Australia, the states have proposed a sunset clause which means that the anti-terror laws will an expiry date like one or two years and has to be approved again.

I think this is a very reasonable approach to such draconian laws and Malaysia should also review the ISA.

If the police cannot find enough cause to charge a person under ISA after 30 days, they are either incompetent or the charges cannot be justified.

We should not deprive citizens of their freedom based on the whim and fancy of the police or a minister. As the Guildford Four proves, the police will try to cover up their mistakes or even commit a crime to protect themselves.There must be a judicial process.

Let us not forget about the Royal Commission on the Police Report.

Maybe we should offer our ISA expertise to Australia and the UK?