Hamid’s refusal to release Manoharan and four other Hindraf leaders from ISA detention should bring Malaysians back to reality – that the second Abdullah administration has not really heard the voice of the people in the March 8 political tsunami

The refusal of the Home Minister, Datuk Syed Hamid Albar to release newly-elected Selangor DAP State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah and four other Hindraf leaders, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kenghadharan and T. Vasantha Kumar from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention should bring Malaysians back to reality – that the second Abdullah administration has not really heard the voice of the people in the March 8 political tsunami for change towards a more democratic, accountable, just and progressive Malaysian society.

Hamid’s explanation is completely unacceptable. He said: “We cannot simply react to political parties’ calls. We have to give priority to public safety and peace and will give due consideration only if there is no threat to national security.”

This is because the ISA detention of the five Hindraf leaders last December – purportedly linking them with “terrorist organizations” which have proved to be completely baseless - was the result of calls by Barisan Nasional component parties, particularly UMNO and MIC, and had nothing whatsoever to do with national security.

Having myself being detained twice for a total of 35 months under the ISA, I can vouch that ISA detentions had been used as political instruments to suppress dissent which have no relationship whatsoever with national security – and the ISA detention of the five Hindraf leaders fall directly under this category!

The first Cabinet meeting last Wednesday created all-round national disappointment as there were no positive indications that the second Abdullah administration would be a reformist one, to fulfill the Prime Minister’s many reform pledges - though four years late.

Proposals for far-reaching judicial reforms to address the two-decade long subversion of the independence, integrity and quality of the judiciary came up against a stonewall in the Cabinet – where even the unsatisfactory and inadequate proposal by the de facto Law Minister, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim that the government should apologise to the judges who were victims of the 1988 judicial crisis could find no acceptance.

Hamid’s refusal to release Manoharan, Uthayakumar, Ganabatirau, Kenghadharan and Vasantha Kumar from ISA detention despite the very clear desire of the Malaysian voters is the second solid proof that Abdullah’s claim that he has heard the “message” of the people in the March 8 political tsunami - that “Point made and point taken” – is clearly not the case.

After the March 8 political tsunami, the other Barisan Nasional component parties, particularly MCA, MIC and Gerakan had blamed UMNO for their electoral debacle – declaring that they would no longer stay silent against the arrogant, undemocratic and unjust policies and attitudes forced on them by UMNO Ministers and leaders.

Let the immediate and unconditional release of the Manoharan and the other four Hindraf leaders from ISA detention be the first test of MCA, MIC and Gerakan post-March 8 political tsunami:

• firstly, whether the MCA, Gerakan and MIC Ministers and Deputy Ministers are prepared to ask the Cabinet next Wednesday to end the ISA abuse and detention of the five Hindraf leaders; and

• secondly, whether MCA, Gerakan and MIC national leaderships are prepared to submit a joint memorandum to the Prime Minister for the immediate and unconditional release of the Hindraf five from ISA.

* Lim Kit Siang, MP for Ipoh Timor & DAP Central Policy and Strategic Planning Commission Chairman