ISA detainees are tortured

“The behaviour of the defendants is inhumane, cruel and despicable, as the plaintiff was not just arrested and detained unlawfully for 57 days but was also subjected to a vile assault, unspeakable humiliation, prolonged physical and mental ill-treatment.”

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Ex-ISA detainee gets RM2.5mil in landmark decision
By Chelsea L.Y. Ng, The Star
19 October 2007

In an unprecedented move, the High Court awarded RM2.5mil in damages to an ex-ISA detainee for having been unlawfully arrested, detained and beaten up while in police custody in 1998.

High Court Judge Hishamudin Mohd Yunus granted the award after ruling that Abdul Malek Hussin had succeeded in suing former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor, a police officer and the Government for the misdeeds done to him during the detention.

“The behaviour of the defendants is inhumane, cruel and despicable, as the plaintiff was not just arrested and detained unlawfully for 57 days but was also subjected to a vile assault, unspeakable humiliation, prolonged physical and mental ill-treatment,” the judge said in his judgment yesterday.

SEE VIDEO: Malik Hussin reveals how he was tortured under ISA detention

SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPc_V4_Htns )

He added that the arrest and detention were unlawful because Abdul Malek was not told of what he had done or intended to do that would pose a threat to national security.

Apart from ruling that the arrest and detention smacked of mala fide, the judge also said they were done for political purposes rather than for the sake of national security.

The case is the first where a former ISA detainee has won millions in damages.

In 1996, a former ISA detainee, Guracharan Singh, won his case for unlawful detention but was awarded nominal damages of RM1.

Yesterday, when Justice Hishamudin spoke of the inhumane acts, he was referring to Abdul Malek’s account of how Special Branch police officer Asst Supt Borhan Daud had slapped him thrice during the arrest at 10pm on Sept 25, 1998, blindfolded him and taken him to the police contingent headquarters here.

At the headquarters, Abdul Malek had told the court, he continued to be blindfolded and was led into an air-conditioned room before being stripped naked, verbally abused, hit in the face and body as well as having urine-like liquid poured into his mouth which was forced open.

He had testified that he knew Abdul Rahim was one of those who assaulted him in that room because at one point his blindfold slipped and he was able to see his assailants.

Justice Hishamudin said the practice of torture of any kind was to be detested.

“The Special Branch Department must not only be neutral but must also be seen to be neutral and non-partisan. It must be above politics,” he said when awarding RM1mil in exemplary damages.

“The despicable conduct of the then IGP was shameful and a disgrace. He showed an extremely bad example to the thousands of men under his charge,” he said.

The judge stressed that the award of exemplary damages was necessary to show “the abhorrence of the court of the gross abuse of an awesome power under the Internal Security Act.”

“Any gross abuse of this power, therefore, must be visited with an award of exemplary damages to ensure that the extent of abuse is kept to the most minimal, if not eliminated completely.

“The practice of torturing detainees by the police can never and should never be condoned by the courts. The court must show its utmost disapproval,” said Justice Hishamudin.

He said he believed Abdul Malek's story rather than that of the police officers because there were glaring discrepancies, as if it was “being concocted to present some kind of chronology of events” to cover up what had happened in the first four hours of Abdul Malek's detention.

Apart from the exemplary damages, the judge also awarded general damages of RM1mil and RM500,000 for false imprisonment and the assault and ill-treatment, respectively.

Abdul Malek, 51, is now the chairman of a non-governmental organisation called Malaysians For Free and Fair Elections.

SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4N137JI4w0 )

*******************************************

Dissent is democracy’s twin

The Sun, 27 October 2007

THE Internal Security Act (ISA) is defended as a necessary evil for containing potential threats to national security. Under that broad objective, however, a whole range of civil liberties have been compromised ever since the law was promulgated in the early 1960s to contain the threat of communist terrorism.

Over the decades, the long list of ISA detainees have included opposition politicians, academicians, trade unionists, women’s rights leaders, environmental activists, social reformers and members of religious groups, among others. How these dissidents can be considered threats to national security is a question that has been posed time and time again, without being satisfactorily answered.

However, the scope for challenging the use of the ISA has been extremely constrained, since the police are empowered to detain anyone on the mere suspicion that he or she may be a threat to national security, the maintenance of essential services or to economic activity, as stated in Section 73(1) of the Act. Moreover, the minister is empowered to extend the detention order for up to two years, and in effect, indefinitely, without judicial review.

Last Thursday, a ray of hope emerged with the High Court decision to award RM2.5 million to former ISA detainee Abdul Malek Hussin for his detention for 57 days in 1998. Justice Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus found that Abdul Malek’s arrest was unlawful because he was never told the grounds for his arrest, a right protected under Article 5(3) of the Federal Constitution. Furthermore, the judge found that Abdul Malek’s claim that he was never interrogated concerning any planned or actual violent act had been unchallenged. This made the use of the ISA unlawful, the judge said.

This judicial finding creates the space for peaceful dissent without fear of a reprisal from the state, a fundamental liberty that is the hallmark of developed democracies. It is time to recognise that the freedom to exercise basic human rights is integral to a maturing democratic tradition. And not until the people are free to express their views within the limits of a wholesome social order will we qualify to take our place among the nations whose opinions matter to the rest of the world.

Tamiflu side effects

Look out for side effects with Tamiflu

SINGAPORE, Aug 5 — Doctors have been alerted to let patients on Tamiflu and their caregivers know that there is a remote possibility of adverse reactions to the drug, such as sudden and severe changes in behaviour.

Since 2005, six patients, most under the age of 16, have become disoriented or incoherent after taking the drug.

Four of these cases occurred just last month and this, following widespread use of Tamiflu against the H1N1 bug.

A 12-year-old girl had hallucinations and a 13-year-old boy showed signs of being suicidal.

But, as with five of the six cases, their symptoms quickly resolved, and they continued taking the drug with no problems.

Doctors were alerted in a circular from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) at the end of last month to keep a close eye on what it calls “possible neuropsychiatric adverse reactions”.

One case, recorded in 2005, ended tragically when a 45-year-old man on Tamiflu fell to his death. He was also on medication for insomnia and said to be stressed from work when he died.

The incident underscored the difficulty of making a direct link between Tamiflu and such extreme side effects.

Patients are already ill with influenza and they are often taking other medicines as well, the HSA said yesterday.

For now, Tamiflu will continue to be the drug of choice to tackle the H1N1 bug.

“The benefits of using Tamiflu to treat early symptoms for patients at risk of serious influenza complications outweigh the potential risks that the medicine may cause,” Chan Cheng Leng, director of HSA's Pharmacovigilance and Compliance Division, told The Straits Times.

Given that an estimated 58 million patients have taken Tamiflu since it was first marketed, the incidence of reports of serious neuropsychiatric disturbances with Tamiflu is very rare, she added.

HSA's advice to the public is not to be unduly alarmed. Caregivers should monitor patients on Tamiflu closely, especially if they are young, and consult their doctor if there is any adverse reaction.

The common side effects include headache, nausea, vomiting, stomachache and diarrhoea, but these are less likely to be a problem if the drug is taken with food.

In Singapore, where about two million courses of Tamiflu will be stockpiled by the end of this year, the most frequent side effect reported in children and adolescents treated with it at KK Women's and Children's Hospital is nausea.

Reports of side effects in adolescents first surfaced in Japan in 2005.

Between April and May this year, more than half the children in Britain taking Tamiflu were reported to have suffered side effects such as nausea, insomnia and nightmares.

But similar adverse reactions have also been reported in flu patients who were not taking Tamiflu.

Roche, which makes Tamiflu, said while the link between the drug and the neuropsychiatric reactions has not been established, the company will continue to work closely with the authorities to monitor its safety.

Parents like Hui Ching, 42, a mother of two girls, said that it was good to know they had to keep a close watch.

Her eldest daughter's asthma puts her at high risk should she contract H1N1.

“Despite the side effects, I would still ask for Tamiflu should she fall sick. We can always watch her closely to prevent the side effects from escalating,” she said. — The Straits Times

Gas terlampau!

Polis 'berlebihan' tembak gas, air

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/109869 Ogos 4, 09 1:57pm

Polis menembak gas pemedih mata dan meriam air "berlebihan sehingga membawa kesan kepada mereka yang berada di kawasan berdekatan" perhimpunan besar membantah akta ISA pada Sabtu lalu, kata Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (Suhakam) hari ini.

Suruhanjaya itu juga mempertikaikan tindakan polis menangkap, menggari dan mereman kanak-kanak bersama penentang dewasa akta kontroversi tersebut kerana ia bercanggah dengan Akta Kanak-kanak 2001 dan Konvensyen Hak Kanak-kanak.

Selain menegaskan peri pentingnya hak orang ramai mengadakan perhimpunan, dalam satu kenyataan bersama lima pesuruhjaya Suhakam, badan itu juga menggesa kerajaan memansuhkan ISA seperti syor yang dibuatnya sejak 2003 kerana tahanan tanpa perbicaraan bercanggah dengan hak asasi.

"Suhakam ingin mengulangi pendiriannya bahawa ISA mesti dimansuhkan dan digantikan dengan undang-undang baru yang lengkap yang menyeimbangkan keselamatan negara dan juga hak-hak asasi sebagai Akta Anti-Keganasan bagi menangani kegiatan terorisme dan tindakan ganas terhadap massa," kata naib pengerusinya Tan Sri Simon Sipaun.

Kenyataan itu turut ditandatangani oleh empat lagi pengerusi jawatankuasa kecil Suhakam: Datuk Dr Michael Yeoh, Datuk Choo Siew Kioh, Datuk Khalid Ibrahim dan Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria.

'Ala Zionis'

Wanita Pakatan gesa Shahrizat hentikan sikap 'ala Zionis'

Zuraida Kamaruddin, Nuridah Salleh, Chong Eng | Foto Nasir Sudin Tue | Aug 04, 09 | 6:24:51 pm MYT

Wanita Pakatan Rakyat menggesa agar kerajaan segera menghapuskan Akta zalim ISA yang telah disalahguna oleh mereka yang berkuasa. Polis dipergunakan untuk melaksanakan wewenangan dengan kuasa yang terkandung dalam Akta zalim ISA. ISA memberi kuasa untuk menangkap dan memenjara rakyat tanpa alasan dan bukti yang sah. Wanita Pakatan Rakyat juga amat kesal dengan kenyataan oleh Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, dalam usaha menutup kelemahan Umno-BN, Sahrizat seolah-olah seperti Zionis Israel yang mempertikai kanak-kanak Palestin yang berada bersama-sama ibu bapa mereka dalam menegakkan kebenaran dan keadilan. ISA adalah satu Akta yang zalim dan diwujudkan hanya untuk menegakkan kepentingan Umno-BN. Oleh itu, ia wajar dituntut oleh sekelian rakyat, termasuk anak-anak yang menjadi pewaris masa depan negara. Sebuah negara yang mendokong demokrasi sewajarnya tidak menghalang sebarang perhimpunan aman. Tuntutan rakyat agar ISA dimansuhkan dan bukan hanya dipinda tidak mendapat perhatian kerajaan Malaysia pimpinan Umno-BN. Polis yang diperguna untuk mengukuhkan kepentingan Umno-BN telah memperalat ISA untuk menangkap sesiapa yang disukai tanpa alasan yang hak atau dakwaan dengan bukti yang sahih. Pandangan yang lain dari Umno-BN disekat berhabisan dan tidak diberi ruang secukupnya agar didengari oleh rakyat. Media arus perdana di Malaysia adalah berat sebelah dan memperkukuh kewujudan Akta zalim ISA. Polis telah mengamalkan budaya menghukum dan menyiksa mereka yang ditangkap ketika perhimpunan aman menentang ISA. Para OKT (orang kena tahan) telah sengaja tidak di layan dengan sewajarnya dan dibiarkan tanpa makan dan minum yang sempurna ketika dalam tahanan. OKT adalah tidak bersalah sehingga dijatuhkan sebarang hukuman oleh mana-mana mahkamah, maka wajar mereka dilayan sebagai rakyat Malaysia yang lengkap segala hak-hak kewarganegaraan mereka. Sharizat lebih wajar menegur pihak polis, yang di bawah kuasa Menteri dalam Negeri, Hishamuddin Hussein, untuk melaksanakan tugasan mereka secara adil dan profesional, bukannya menjadi alat atau barua mana-mana golongan, hatta Umno-BN sendiri. Ketika perhimpunan berlangsung, gedung dan perniagaan sekitar lokasi terlibat telah penuh dikunjungi oleh pelanggan. Begitu juga dengan restoren dan kedai-kedai makan yang penuh dengan pengunjung. Pengangkutan awam, khususnya perkhimatan LRT, Monorail dan bas dipenuhi oleh penumpang yang kesemuanya memberi keuntungan yang besar kepada perniagaan. Sebenarnya tindakan polis yang menyimbah air asid dan gas yang telah menjejaskan kegiatan ekonomi rakyat Malaysia pada hari Perhimpunan menentang ISA 1hb Ogos lalu. Bahkan polis juga telah mengakibatkan lalulintas jalanraya yang penuh sesak kerana sekatan jalanraya yang dikenakan. Halangan dalam pengamalan demokrasi sebenar adalah punca kerugian perniagaan, kegiatan ekonomi rakyat Malaysia dan huru-hara di sekitar Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. Kerajaan Malaysia pimpinan Umno-BN sebenarnya sangat cemas terhadap kebangkitan rakyat yang menuntut pemansuhan ISA. Wanita Pakatan Rakyat menyokong penuh sebarang perhimpunan aman rakyat Malaysia dan menuntut agar pihak polis di bawah Kementerian Dalam Negeri memainkan peranan mereka menyuburkan amalan demokrasi ini, bukan sebaliknya. Kepada Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Sharizat Abdul Jalil, Wanita Pakatan Rakyat menggesa beliau agar hentikan bersikap ala Zionis yang mempertahankan keganasan polis terhadap rakyat. --- Zuraida Kamaruddin ialah Ketua Wanita KEADILAN Hjh Nuridah Salleh ialah Ketua Muslimat PAS Chong Eng ialah Ketua Wanita DAP_

UMNO Illegal Gatherings!

Monday, August 3, 2009

http://www.malaysiawaves.com

UMNO Was Born Out of Demonstrations / Illegal Gatherings (With Pictures)

I just cannot believe my ears when I watched TV3 and TVI news yesterday. They had strings of UMNO leaders, past and present, condemning the anti-ISA gathering last Saturday.

The biggest blunder came from our own, Dr Mahathir Mohd. He says that the culture of illegal gathering is the culture of Anwar Ibrahim and not of Malaysian. Maybe he forgot that UMNO itself was born out of illegal gatherings. Refer to the picture above.

Najib says that the ISA protest is an inconvenience. I bet the British said the same thing too when Malays came out in numbers protesting against Malayan Union back in 1946 in various illegal gatherings throughout the country.

Funny, because in major cities around the world, i.e. London, New York, Paris, Amsterdam etc, protests are a normal scene and yet none of the major leaders of the world had characterized these gatherings as being an inconvenience.

UMNO leaders are history blind and hypocritical. When UMNO people organized racists gathering bordering on sedition, never was UMNO people arrested or prevented from organizing their rallies.

Aziz Sheikh Fadzir should have been arrested under ISA long time ago and charged under the Sedition Act. Yet, we see Aziz free to contest as UMNO candidate in Kulim Bandar Baru ( although he lost).

Najib organized a seditious gathering in Stadium TPCA back in 1987. Yet, Najib was never arrested. Instead, leaders which has absolutely nothing to do with the gathering was arrested in large numbers.

Najib and a few MCA leaders were given a holiday in Australia to cool down while numerous opposition leaders suffered under the ISA interrogation and solitary confinement.

Clearly, ISA is a tool to serve UMNO. And whatever is inconvenient to UMNO is inconvenient to the current practice of corruption and money grabbing among UMNO leaders.

So, I call upon every Malaysians to see this deliberate memory lapse of UMNO leaders in their condemnation of the ISA protest. If UMNO leaders wanted to protest the ISA demonstration, then they must also condemn the 1946 anti Malayan Union protest as well, because clearly the 1946 protests were illegal protests and has no permits from the authorities. Plus it was a nuisance for the British.

Tulang Besi

Posted by Tulang Besi at 10:24 AM

Malaysia Negara Polis!

Sayang Malaysia Negara Polis

Hari ini (1 Ogos 2009) buat kali pertama dalam sejarah hidup saya, saya menjadi mangsa bom gas pemedih mata. Pedih sungguh mata dan hati saya! Inilah pengalaman saya berhimpun dan berarak bersama dengan berpuluh ribu rakyat Malaysia di Kuala Lumpur. Ia benar-benar membuka mata saya di samping memberi banyak pengajaran.

Saya amat terkejut kerana tidak menyangka betapa kejamnya polis bertindak terhadap rakyat yang hanya berhimpun dan berjalan secara aman. Rakyat hanya mahu meluahkan perasaan tentang buruknya Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) yang perlu dimansuhkan secepat mungkin. Rakyat kita tidak membawa senjata; mereka hanya membawa anak-anak untuk menyedarkan warga kecil betapa kejamnya ISA. Lelaki, perempuan, tua dan muda, pelbagai kaum, bermacam agama, semuanya berhimpun secara aman di ibu kota. Hak untuk berhimpun secara aman adalah hak asasi rakyat. Tapi nampaknya hak yang dijamin oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan ini sudah tidak ada guna lagi. Hak kita sudah hancur kerana polis yang bersenjata, yang berkuasa penuh, yang sombong dan angkuh, kini telah menentukan hak kita. Bila polis kata perhimpunanan itu haram, maka kita semua yang berhimpun atas dasar kebebasan dan hak yang telah dijamin oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan, telah menjadi mangsa kekerasan polis. Ya, polis yang mengaku diri sahabat rakyat, kini menunjukkan belang sebenar mereka. Tak sangka, dengan sedikit kuasa itu, mereka sudah merasakan diri seperti Fira’un.

Saya sebagai warga Malaysia yang prihatin telah turut sama menyertai perhimpunan aman ini. Tapi saya bersama dua anak saya dan kawan-kawan lain tak tahu ke mana mahu dituju kerana polis telah tutup banyak jalan. Kami hanya mahu ke Istana Negara untuk menyaksikan penyerahan memorandum anti-ISA. Kami telah tersepit di sebatang jalan dekat Masjid Negara. Ramai yang berarak menghala ke Jalan Kuching ke arah Selangor Club; kami pun ikut sama. Niat kami hanyalah untuk bersama-sama orang ramai menunjukkan sokongan. Tetapi bila sampai sahaja di belakang Selangor Club, polis dengan ganasnya telah menyembur gas pemedih mata dan menggunakan pncutan air tekanan tinggi. Lintang-pukang orang berlari. Saya pun tunggang-langgang lari.

Polis kemudian meminta orang ramai bersurai. Tetapi ke mana nak bersurai kerana semua jalan sudah ditutup. Tak ada cara lain kecuali patah balik ke arah Masjid Negara. Saya pun bersedia untuk bersurai. Tapi bila sampai dekat dengan Masjid Negara, ada pula sekatan jalan polis. Di situlah saya lihat orang ramai angkat tangan supaya polis membenarkan mereka bersurai ke arah bagunan Dayabumi. Saya juga angkat tangan kerana kami memang nak bersurai. Ada dua orang wanita tua bersama saya yang merah serta berair mata mereka di samping terbatuk-batuk akibat bom gas pemedih mata. Sa orang peserta lelaki yang cacat anggota dengan crutches nya tidak dapat lari. Saya tak tahu apa nasib maanusia berani ini. Kasihan saya melihat mereka semua.

Rupa-rupanya polis sudah berniat jahat. Tanda angkat tangan tidak ada erti kepada mereka. Walau pun melihat ramai antara kami yang sudah mahu bersurai, polis terus melepaskan bom pemedih mata. Saya dapat lihat wajah-wajah polis berkenaan, kebanyakannya orang Melayu, yang penuh benci dan kesumat dendam. Maka terpaksa lagi kami berlari elakan diri. Tapi nak ke mana lagi? Di Jalan Kuching dekat Selangor Club pun polis sudah melemparkan bom pemedih mata. Bom dari canisters yang tidak ada jenama kata kawan saya. Bererti bom jenis buatan haram. Dinegara kita apa pun boleh dilakukan Ramai orang termasuk saya terpaksa lari masuk ke dalam hutan kecil berhampiran Jalan Kuching dengan melompat pagar bangunan di situ. Mujur juga ada pengawal keselamatan di situ yang baik hati yang telah melepaskan kami keluar dari perkarangan bangunan tersebut. Semoga Allah membalas budi baiknya. Di sana barulah kami dapat keluar untuk bersurai. Masa itu mata kami semua sudah merah, suara parau dan seluar koyak akibat terpaksa melompat pagar. Saya pun baru sedar bila sudah berumur begini lutut sudah tidak sekuat waktu muda dulu.

Memang jelas hak dan kebesan kita semakin terhakis. Apa yang polis lakukan dengan cara mengepung orang ramai yang hanya mahu berhimpun secara aman dan membelasah mereka dengan semburan air dan bom pemedih mata adalah untuk menunjukan kepada rakyat bahawa kerajaan Barisan Nasional tidak peduli dengan kehendak dan keperluan rakyat. Mereka mahu mengajar rakyat Malaysia bahawa era Pak Lah yang mahu mencuba membuka ruang kebebasan sudah tidak wujud lagi. Ini era Najib yang tak mahu dengar dan tak terima pandangan rakyat.

Bagi polis yang jelas bekerjasama dengan UMNO dan Barisan Nasional, mereka mahu rakyat takut kepada mereka. Mereka tidak mahu kita di Malaysia bebas seperti Indonesia dan Filipina yang memberi rakyat peluang bersuara dan berhimpun secara aman. Mereka mahu semua rakyat sedar bahawa Malaysia adalah Negara Polis seperti Myanmar. Sesiapa yang berhimpun dianggap bersalah kecuali mereka yang berhimpun untuk menyokong Najib dan pemimpin UMNO yang lain. Inilah mesej 1Malaysia ciptaan Najib yang memberi amaran kepada rakyat bahawa kekerasan akan digunakan pada bila-bila masa sahaja demi mengekalkan kuasa.

Tapi rakyat Malaysia termasuk saya juga ingin menyampaikan berita kepada Najib. Kita akan berkorban apa saja untuk menentang kekejaman dan kezaliman. Kita yakin kita di pihak yang benar kerana kita menentang salaha guna kuasa, penyelewengan dan rasuah. Kuasa rakyat akan menang juga suatu hari nanti di negara Malaysia yang tercinta ini, InsyaAllah.

Videos of the 1 August 2009 Anti-ISA march

Posted by admin

Sunday, 02 August 2009 00:00

SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE MORE VIDEOS INSIDE OTHER VIDEOS SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE

Beatings, tear gas and water cannons

Beatings, tear gas and water cannons a setback for Najib’s reforms

Kuala Krai MP Dr Hatta Ramli's shirt gets ripped in a scuffle outside the National Mosque during yesterday’s anti-ISA rally. — File pic

Analysis by Syed Jaymal Zahiid
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — The brutal scene of police beating PAS lawmaker Hatta Ramli, which was captured on camera during yesterday's anti-Internal Security Act (ISA) rally, and the force in which the authorities put down the protest will certainly leave a black mark on Datuk Seri Najib Razak's fledgling rule.

The arrest of some 400 demonstrators including women and youths, the sight of tear gas fired towards peaceful demonstrators will not do much good for a prime minister who is just about to enjoy a bit of support from a sceptical public.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders will definitely ride on the public anger generated by the excessive force used by the police to crush a peaceful rally that saw some 20,000 people taking to the streets to protest against the ISA.

Ultimately the protest was a larger attempt by the federal opposition to reclaim its reform agenda from the Najib administration.

Since taking power, the prime minister has portrayed himself as a reformer, by pledging to review the ISA, making concessions for the non-Malay communities and taking steps to free up the economy.

The force with which the protest was crushed yesterday will certainly provide fodder for PR to say that the Barisan Nasional (BN) government does not tolerate any dissent.

It will also provide an opportunity for the opposition to use the ISA as a symbol of BN's intolerant approach in governance.

The city was transformed into a war zone yesterday, much of it due the fact that the authorities were not prepared to tolerate what was planned as a peaceful march.

Tear gas filled the air and the streets were covered with chemical-laced water sprayed towards demonstrators, forcing them to scurry for cover in nearby malls.

Shops were closed and businesses were brought to a halt. Instead of entertaining customers, shop owners and their staff had to cover and wet their faces constantly as tear gas seeped into the malls.

There were scenes of mothers trying to calm their crying children hurt by the burning sting of tear gas and chemical-laced water sprayed all over them.

"Oh God, please help us," one of the mothers was heard calling out. About a few metres away from her was a young man with blood all over his head, cut by the tear gas canister that hit him.

The violence could perhaps have been avoided if Najib had responded to a letter requesting for a meeting to discuss among others, the ISA , sent by PR leaders.

And instead of looking for a middle ground or a diplomatic approach, BN ministers defiantly defended the police action and insisted that the ISA would remain.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, in an immediate reaction to the rally, showed no sympathy towards those brutalised by the police, saying they had been forewarned not to join the rally.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said there was no way the government was going to repeal the ISA, declaring that "as long as BN rules, the law stays."

Whether these BN ministers know it or not, it will be precisely such statements that could make the public forget about the problems in PR and give them enough ammunition to rally the public behind them.

pic: malaysiakini