Behave or draconian law will make a comeback, Utusan warns

Ana Ghoib Syeikh Malaya 1:36 PTG
PUTRAJAYA: Utusan Malaysia today warned certain quarters not to touch on sensitive issues concerning Malay rights and Islam or else the Internal Security Act will be reintroduced report The Malaysian Insider

The Umno mouthpiece claimed that the absence of the preventive law, which allowed for detention without trial, was the cause of Malaysia's deteriorating racial and religious harmony.

Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for the newspaper's collective editorial team, said the reality was that without the ISA, various incidents had threatened Malaysia's stability.
"The absence of the ISA has emboldened certain parties who have taken advantage and raised sensitive issues which were unheard of when the ISA was still in force.

"Therefore, if you do not want the ISA to be reintroduced, respect what is entrenched in the laws and Federal Constitution."

Awang said human rights activists were bound to be outraged if the ISA was reintroduced.

"I am sure this statement will provoke anger and outrage in those who supposedly fight for human rights," Awang said.

"Activists and human rights group will be quaking in fear that recent statements calling for the reintroduction of the ISA will spur Putrajaya to study the possibility."

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad suggested recently the ISA should be reintroduced to control extremist minorities who were allegedly undermining Malaysia's stability.

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said he wished and hoped that the ISA would be reintroduced.

Awang insisted that the repeal of the ISA was the cause of Malaysia's racial and religious harmony being threatened by irresponsible quarters

"It is time to face reality, without the ISA, various incidents have occurred and threatened the country’s peace and harmony.”

The ISA was repealed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2011 to be replaced by a new law.

In 2012, the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 was introduced.

However, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has admitted that Sosma was nowhere near as powerful as the ISA.

"Unfortunately, a group of Malaysians led by certain parties want to continue their irresponsible and immature acts of holding street demonstrations," Wan Junaidi told Utusan Malaysia.

"Because it does not have the powers of the ISA, Sosma is like a toothless tiger," he added.