Now, Singaporeans call for ISA's repeal

Sep 22: After its neighbour's announcement that the Internal Security Act would be repealed following intense public pressure from Malaysians, sixteen former Singaporean detainees of the city-state's own ISA have called on its government to make good a promise to abolish the act if Malaysia did the same.


ISA'S VICTIMS ... Lim Hock Siew and Said Zahari, among notable ISA detainees in Singapore


"Now that Malaysia is repealing the ISA, we call upon PM Lee Hsien Loong to translate his 1991 statement into reality and keep in step with the aspirations of our people for a mature and functioning democracy," said a statement emailed to Harakahdaily.

"Indefinite detention without trial is an affront to the human rights of citizens and an assault on our justice system," it added.

In 1991, Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, then the deputy PM, said his government "will seriously consider abolishing the Internal Security Act if Malaysia were to do so”.


'ISA was inherited from Malaysia'
Saying they looked forward to Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak to "fulfilling his promise to his people", the group reminded that Singapore, which became a separate state in 1965 following its breakaway from Malaysia, had inherited the draconian act from Malaysia.

"When Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, the Federation of Malaya’s Internal Security Act 1960 became part of our law," they said.

They also took issue with a comparison made by Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs, who said the republic's version of ISA only provided for 30-day detention, and not 60 days as in Malaysia.

"This comparison is irrelevant because political detainees in Singapore have been imprisoned for periods which far exceed those in Malaysia.

"Dr Chia Thye Poh was imprisoned for 26 years. Dr Lim Hock Siew was imprisoned for 20 years.  Mr Lee Tee Tong was imprisoned for 18 years and Dr Poh Soo Kai and Inche Said Zahari for 17 years," said the statement.

They also chided the Ministry's claim that the 'Advisory Board' could safeguard against abuses of the ISA.

"In 1987, appearances before the board lasted not more than a few minutes each. Furthermore, detainees were discouraged from appearing before the board by ISD officers. Many were advised that appearing before the board would jeopardise their chances of early release," they recalled.

The sixteen who issued the statement are Dr Lim Hock Siew, Dr Poh Soo Kai, Said Zahari, Lee Tee Tong, Loh Miaw Gong, Chng Min Oh @ Chuang Men-Hu, Tan Sin @ Tan Seng Hin, Toh Ching Kee, Koh Kay Yew, Vincent Cheng Kim Chuan, Teo Soh Lung, Yap Hon Ngian, Tan Tee Seng, Low Yit Leng, Wong Souk Yee and Tang Fong Har.
source : Harakah Daily