Do Not Repeal ISA; No matter how evil it is.

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Living in Malaysia all my life, I have never seen deadly riots ala LA 1992 or France 2005. I have never seen a leader assassinated the same way Juvénal Habyarimana, Rafik Hariri, Indira Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto were. I have never seen Indians chopping Malay heads, nor have I seen Chinese people burning Malay homes.

But what if someone did? Who will be responsible? What can be done?

Those are three questions that have led to the creation of the ISA. After May 13 1969, the ISA is set up so that such event won't happen again.

In the cases of Ops Lalang and the HINDRAF 5, I know it's unfair for journalists, activists, and politicians to be locked in Kamunting and get punished ala Shawshank Redemption, but that doesn't mean the ISA should be repealed. Sure, the mistreatment was unfair, but we can change that.

I partially support street rallies hold by Bersih, UMNO Youth or any organizations. I again partially support the causes of HINDRAF because it's the best way for the MIC to reform itself.

However, street demonstrations must be held in a civilized and orderly manner just like Anonymous and Stop the War Coalition, and the protestors must be responsible for their own actions. I don't want street demonstrations to be turned into riots. I don't want shops and businesses being destroyed. I don't want this country to have a bad worldwide image. If such happens, where do i look up to? Of course, I look up to the ISA.

In the wake of the DAP and the Pakatan Rakyat calling for the repeal of the ISA, here's an advice: Don't repeal it, but reform it. I say let's make things better. Let's change the ISA. Give more freedom, more trials and less punishment. Give its detainees sunlight. We don't want a South East Asian Guantanamo Bay. We want the ISA to be a lesson for May 13.

Let me tell you this: If Lim Kit Siang/Abdul Hadi Awang/Anwar Ibrahim is the new PM, none will repeal the ISA. Why? Because street riots always happen in every country, and the only way they could control is through he ISA.

This entry was posted on 5/5/08 at Monday, May 05, 2008 and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

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