MCA slams Izzah over ISA: We must not fall into same pit as the Taliban

Remarks by PKR Vice President YB Nurul Izzah likening the new preventive laws aimed at thwarting terrorism and militants to replace the ISA as “old wine in new bottle” are haughty. I am disappointed that Nurul has conveniently forgotten that Malaysian history has had its fair share of unnecessary subversives and terrorists.
As a Sabahan, I remember my shock and anguish when Sipadan Island, an idyllic paradise with one of the best scuba diving sites in the world sought by domestic and foreign tourists had its tranquility rudely disrupted when in 2000, Abu Sayyaf terrorists from Philippines violated our tanah air literally in their daring kidnap of Malaysian resort workers, divers along with international tourists.

PAS spiritual advisor cum Kelantan Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Nik Aziz reacted so defensively with PAS Sabah describing the 13 arrested in Tawau last week as Islamic missionaries. The 13 consist of several PAS members along with the other foreign suspects reported to be Indonesians and Filipinos.
However, Minister of Home Affairs Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin has already explained that the 13 were caught with firearms and explosives and their detention was abled through the co-operation among 3 countries. In Indonesia, Hishamuddin had also seen first hand the network of this group. Pakatan Rakyat will always find fault with the BN government, but surely they cannot dismiss the collective intelligence of the other two countries.
When one thinks of PAS, one immediately connects to the punitive measures of hudud law. But certain theocratic-run countries as that experienced in Taliban Afghanistan have been misused as breeding ground for terrorist cells most notably Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah. Malaysians irrespective of political divide cannot allow our beloved tanah air descend the same pit.
Do we want more fugitives running loose like Taliban-trained Singaporean JI operative Mas Selamat who was even a trusted aide to Osama bin Laden who fleeing to Johor, used Skudai as his hideout from Singaporean authorities before his capture in 2009?
Western countries also detain suspected terrorists without trial
The BN administration led by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib bin Tun Razak has kept to our pledge of taking steps to abolish the ISA. On 16 Sept 11, PM Najib also did inform that the ISA would be replaced by two new Acts to fight terrorism. Even in America, prisoners suspected of Al Qaeda links are detained without trial, while the United Kingdom and Australia also have their own anti-terrorist laws.
I pose to DAP – Dare the Rocket take a stand and talk sense to your Pakatan allies and be like BN in countering terrorism, or are you going to pander to emotions sensationalized by Nurul Izzah and PAS Sabah and condemn measures taken by government bodies globally to contain terrorists and militants from getting away scot-free with undermining stability through bomb blasts, kidnap and even murder.

Edward Khoo Keok Hai is the MCA Deputy Treasurer General and MCA Sabah Chairman and also Assistant Minister in the Sabah Chief Minister’s Department