We welcome Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s announcement that his government would repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Emergency Ordinance. He said the changes are aimed at “having a modern, mature and functioning democracy which will continue to preserve public order, ensure greater civil liberties and maintain racial harmony.” We look forward to the Malaysian Prime Minister fulfilling his promise to his people.
Singapore inherited the ISA from Malaysia. This law has been in existence for more than half a century and its impact on society is both crippling and pernicious. Its life began soon after the Second World War as the Emergency Regulations in 1948 when the British used it to put down strong anti-colonial movements. In 1955, the Preservation of Public Security Ordinance incorporating the Emergency Regulations was passed. When Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, the Federation of Malaya’s Internal Security Act 1960 became part of our law.
The Ministry of Home Affairs claims that:
“ … A person arrested under the ISA in Singapore may be held in custody for up to 30 days after which an Order of Detention or Restriction Order must be issued or else the person must be released unconditionally.
In Malaysia, the period of custody is up to 60 days…” (ST 17.9.2011).
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.
The Ministry further claims that the Advisory Board is a safeguard against abuse under the ISA.
The protection accorded by the Advisory Board is spurious, if not a farce. Several of us have appeared before such a board and can confirm that the board did not examine witnesses and evidence against the detainee. 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.
Singapore has many existing laws that will deal with acts of terrorism. We have the Penal Code, the Sedition Act, Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act, Vandalism Act and after 9/11, the Terrorism (Suppression of Bombings) Act and the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act. These laws provide severe punishments which include death, life imprisonment and caning.
In 1991, then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “Singapore will seriously consider abolishing the Internal Security Act if Malaysia were to do so”. He made this response to seven Malaysian journalists in his office when asked why the ISA was still needed in Singapore even though the Communist Party of Malaya no longer posed a threat. (ST 3.2.1991.) 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. Indefinite detention without trial is an affront to the human rights of citizens and an assault on our justice system.
Dated this 19th day of September 2011.
Dr Lim Hock Siew
Dr Poh Soo Kai
Said Zahari
Lee Tee Tong
Loh Miaw Gong
Chng Min Oh @ Chuang Men-Hu
Tan Sin alias 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
Tang Fong Har
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
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Malaysia where got abolish ISA? The only change the medicine bottle but the medicine is still the same.
The 16 heroes and heroines have come forward to lend their weight to support the demand for the ISA to be repealed. They are patriots who had fought against tyranny and repression so that fellow Singaporeans could remain free of fear and live in dignity. Their voices are the anguished cries of victims of the atrocious ISA. Collectively they represent a total of more than 100 years of inhuman treatment and abuse of power by an unscrupulous government. Fellow Singaporeans with a heart and conscience are appalled by such heinous acts.
Thank you for bravely standing by your beliefs despite the hardships that you have already been through. Singapore should be proud and honoured that we have citizens like you. I hope the ISA gets repealed soon. It is long overdue.
what has the ISA got to do with ‘terrorism’?
it would be better to enact a ‘TERROR ACT; which should have different criteria or considerations from the present ‘ISA’.
in fact,the ISA is a ‘TEROR’ in and by itself?
We salute these ex-detainees who are undaunted and courageous to stand together with the public to demand the repeal of this demonic ISA. The NUSSU is going to take a strong stand on the issue. Hope other institutions and NGOs demand the Papigs to abolish this self serving act.
I would say, gather the facts, names, dates, biography of the victims etc and petition the UN Human Rights Council, or any International Tribunal able to bring justice to the victims. Abolishment of the ISA is too easy on the perpetrators of terror under the guise of the rule of law or any labeling preferred by the present Law Minister and his cohorts. Their incarceration under the ISA wrecks havoc on so many others beside themselves: the lives of their family members down the generations. The atrocity committed by the leaders in Singapore during the last four decades should not be ignored or brushed aside because we are afraid that the old tigers would yet sink their fangs on those of us who agitate for justice to the victims. Mere abolishment of the infernal Act is an insult to the generations of Singaporeans now alive and the recently dead. No need to wait for Godot. He will not come.
I think the UN is busy helping the US shipping bombs to blow the hell out of Afghanistan and then putting detainees into Guantanamo Bay, ridiculing and raping them. Where got time to look at us.
The laws cited by TSL are laws that require a criminal act to be done before authorities can make arrest. Please lah, these are terrorists leh. So you arrest them at the point of concocting a plan or at the point when they actually make a bomb and prepare to walk up to a building with bombs strapped before you can arrest him?
I find the statement laughable. In the ’50 & ’60, the British Colonial Government is in charge of Singapore. Those days Cold war & Communism were at its prime. The UK Gov have to do what is necessary for her interest to deter the spread of Communism. Many of those named were detained under the British Colonial & Malayan Federation days.
Arrest can happen only after the bomb explodes.
By then, the martyr is sacrificed and the mastermind is miles away.
Such is life. We live in an imperfect society.
PAP, keep the ISA and lose the next election please.
Did TOC represent the detainees and write this?
Power will come to those who have been patient.
To Huan JK,
Dr Lim Hock Siew, Said Zahari and hundreds were first arrested by the joint security force under the British, but had their detentions EXTENDED BY LEE KUAN YEW AND THE PAP GOVERNMENT FOR DECADES AFTER 1965.
Many others were detained after Independence, such as Chia Thye Poh (1966 – 1998) and the so-called Marxist conspirators in 1987.
Many of them were physically and mentally abused whilst in detention. Families of detainees suffered. Said Zahari’s wife, for example, had to borrow money from friends to raise their four children for 17 years while their father remained locked up. One detainee, Chan Hock Hua was so badly beaten up that he died shortly his release. Newspapers at that time had refused to publish his orbituary.
Bibi Baba Ex-Malaysia PM is telling the Soft Truth today:”The repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960 will bring freedom to the community to develop the intellectual mindset without restrictions or fear that the law would be used against them, said former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
He said efforts to abolish the ISA was also made when he led the
country, between 2003 and 2008, which was extended by Prime
Minister Najib Abdul Razak to uphold human rights.
Abdullah said despite opposition from within and outside the government at that time, he managed to achieve three legislative changes to laws relating to the prevention of corruption, appointment of judges and integrity of the law enforcement agencies.
“I am very proud of Najib’s action to repeal the ISA..”
Ex-Malaysia PM is telling the Soft Truth today:”The repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960 will bring freedom to the community to develop the intellectual mindset without restrictions or fear that the law would be used against them, said former prime minister
“I am very proud of Najib’s action to repeal the ISA..”
ISA is part of Spore History n will not evaporate away nor misinformation will help to educate fellow young sporeans on our political developments to nationhood..A Commission of Inquiry selected from UN sponsored countries will help to clarify n move this nation forward in the next century.We can then decide later to abolish or amend this Act with more compassion.
Dear Titiana,
Well said! Let us see how long more can the PAP deny the wind of change, stop all repressions and truly live up to its claim that it works for the interest of Singapore and Singaporeans.
It is clear to all, except the PAP itself, that the PAP is out of touch and needs to change.
oincidentally, the recent Reith lecture in UK had the former head of M15 speaking on Security. Of paramount importance and relevance to our ISA discussion was her advocacy on legislation. Quote:
“When the Cold war ended, the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe who were considering how to protect their freedom sort the advice of services like mine. Their experience of the Security & Intelligence Agencies were repressive organs of state control at best.
Having suffered under the Gestapo,…. they saw that they needed properly constituted new security & intelligence agency to protect their freedom. We emphasize that their agecny needed a proper legal foundation and they took our advice…..”
Downloads are available from BBC website podcasts. Unfortunately my post won’t appear if I post with the links.
Also not to be missed is Aung San Suu Kyi’s lectures.
a whole bunch of fools you all are. a good number of you who have signed off this letter are the cause of why the ISA is needed in Singapore. As long as there extremists and deviationist elements out to overthrow the Singapore government within and outside singapore, the internal security act shall remain in full force. Everyone of you who have signed off this letter and have been so called affected by the ISA, deserve every treatment you have received. And if you dont behave yourself, the government with the full support of singaporeans like me can slap the ISA on each one of you again.
Out of the 16 non is capable to be leaders of the country, so is better to keep ISA so that we have a law to keep the pretender away. If they want to offer their service to the nation they should stand for election in GE, no other road lead you to parliament except contesting in the election. ISA should be make clearer to include people who want to rule the country without going through GE and contest in an election.
Sad to see that the trolls are ‘engaging the social media’ at TOC. If these were genuine Singaporeans speaking up, then there might be room for discussion. Unfortunately, the positions they set out are always extreme, and, invariably buttressing the status quo.
On another note, it might be an excellent idea if TOC could publish Au Sang Su Kyi’s lectures here as part of our discourse on ISA.
Asdf has already said this is a window dressing exercise by Najib designed to project a softer image only. Besides the Asdf warned that the new two laws may be even more draconian than the ISA. Let’s wait and see what is in the two new acts. It is too early to draw a conclusion.
chou Ah Lian
If they want to offer their service to the nation they should stand for election in GE, no other road lead you to parliament except contesting in the election
…………….
you meant leekingyou grc rules or 35 secs 2 late? now you 1st isa to set the rules for FREE erections? beside people associations/grassroot leaders and presssecretararies perhaps?
ow bout include tonytan the presidente to setup the erections rules as well?
do you see najib/malaysia setup a grc law?
as usual you are STILL a kiasu LACKY MONGROL NEUTRAL DOG who barked toothless
@usha sitaram
I full agree with you. In the 1st place, who are these 16 clowns? Just nobodies crying for attention. The ISA must remain & come down hard on anyone who is suspected of troublemaking, including dissent & illegal gathering.
usha sitaram20 September 2011
a whole bunch of fools you all are. a good number of you who have signed off this letter are the cause of why the ISA is needed in Singapore
…………
as 4 you … go to johore road get raped by ahkuas in your a s shole..thats the only mouth you used…
ஓனே வதோ உட்ட்டர் ருப்பீஸ் இன் ஹேர் மௌத் ஷௌல்து ஒன்லி பே பிட் வித் டாக்’ச லிட்டர்
Michael Lim Peng Liang20 September 2011
@usha sitaram
I full agree with you. In the 1st place, who are these 16 clowns? Just nobodies crying for attention
…………
and you need 3 nicks to troll your balls carrin inc ere?
you post 1 as the bloom tamil bitch
and you echoed as the bloom chinese bimbo
now you pretend to be a nite in rubber condom to save this 2 pap mongrol bitches dog?
榴莲树降温一屁股底下坐着应该是你从水果一眼保健傻瓜会下降一个头上的人
PAP will never repeal ISA – it has serve them for decades- its convenient weapon to imprison anyone deemed as threats to country – is no use to pressurize gahmen. Only way is through our votes in next GE.
Michael Lim Peng Liang
Look at the records, ISA has led to abuses of power in that inncoent people were simply detained with dubious name calling like marxist conspirators without proof.
Now you are calling them trouble makers. What have they done to deserve such name calling as trouble makers?
A commission of inquiry should be established with calling of witnesses and evidences from the de-classified documents in the presence of UN agencies on human rights to prove the charges of associating with violent communists or external threats.
Appropriate compensations should be made to families concerned if there is a lack of proof against these 16 persons.
Other than this, the government will only be seen as abusing its power for its own political purpose.
By looking at human history, it is clear that the greatest threat to society is not these so-called few trouble makers or the people themselves but abuse of power. Just look at the unrest caused in middle east. Can we really say people cause the unrest and there is a need for ISA for these countries?
Instead, there should be an ISA against abuse of power by the government to prevent all the abuses that created the unrest.
instead of chasing marxists all around the island, ISD officers can make themselves useful chasing the US$2 billion loss,
which is enough to feed two thousand foreigners each with US$1 million
Thank you to all the signatories to speak out against this piece of draconian colonial law. The British would never have designed for their own people and country and yet here we are after 40 years of ‘independence’ still allowing ourselves to be subjected to such oppressive, inhuman and barbaric slave acts.
The only relevance everyone knows, as mentioned in the papers, is to keep the power and money for one family.
more than one family benefits from the system, as we have seen in recent news in recent elections.
elections can come and go without these families adequately addressing their manipulation of the system, creating conditions highly conducive to their family propagation and comfort of their children.
@Michael Lim Peng Liang,
You shameless and despicable jerk. From your past post everyone can see and have every right to suspect that you are either a pro nazi or a sexual preditor. I suggest you should be caned maximum 24 strokes then locked up for life… without trial. Because we suspect, that is good enough!!
Even if you insist that you are innocent, we’ll rather err on the side of caution!! Idiot!!
i guess ordinary singaporeans are more worried about the FTA than the ISA.
SINGAPOREANS are worried sick and TERRORISED by hte ‘FOREIGN TERROR(talent) ACT’ rather than by potential commies from among our own bona fide singaporeans,generally speaking.
it is strnage how we are so traumatised by potential commies coming from among our own singaporeans but are not the least afraid of the ture blue COMMUNISTS we gladly welcome into our midst and who now occupy most of CHINATOWN’s strip?
we even grant them free education n free lodging with the promise of a good job?
how strange our elites’ thinking must be to simple singaporeans like me.
usha sitaram 20 September 2011
a whole bunch of fools you all are. a good number of you who have signed off this letter are the cause of why the ISA is needed in Singapore. As long as there extremists and deviationist elements out to overthrow the Singapore government within and outside singapore, the internal security act shall remain in full force. Everyone of you who have signed off this letter and have been so called affected by the ISA, deserve every treatment you have received. And if you dont behave yourself, the government with the full support of singaporeans like me can slap the ISA on each one of you again.
___________________________________
And what evidence do you have to say that these people are extremists? You dare to sho us? On what ground are you saying that they deserved the treatment they receive? To me you are but another coward who think that you own the ISD and can use it to threaten people.. This is behavior that is uncivilised and gangster like.. pathetic…
malaysia dun need isa lah. they are not a target for muslim extremists what. singapore got so many western companies and FTs. we are the number 1 target for would be martyrs!!
akutaktahu. Indonesia muslim country but they get bombed as well
It is extremely cruel, grossly unfair and a blatant abuse of human rights to imprison a group of people, some as long as 28 years, without trial. Are we a nation gone mad to allow such draconian laws to stand under the lame excuse of preventing terrorist acts? Nothing justifies such abuse of the law. The facts have clearly shown that the govt has done it, abusing the ISA, not for any other reason,than to preserve its own political hold over Singapore.
Get rid of the ISA, for goodness sake, and set up a Commission of Inquiry to ensure that the perpetrators of this disgraceful act be punished according to internationally accepted laws.
John. ya, western targets there get bombed. also their country so big a bomb here and there, the country can carry on business as usual. if touchwood a bomb goes off in raffles place morning rush hour, you know how many casualties and families will kenna!
who believes whatever the malaysian leaders say? if the singapore government can twist and turn their words, malaysia is 1000 times worse!! do not be taken in. malaysia’s UMNO is only trying to win votes by saying that they will remove the ISA. they are trying to prepare the ground for the coming election.
“”"”akutaktahu 20 September 2011 John. ya, western targets there get bombed. also their country so big a bomb here and there, the country can carry on business as usual. if touchwood a bomb goes off in raffles place morning rush hour, you know how many casualties and families will kenna!”"”"
You do not need ISA to charge bombers as murderers. Normal criminal law will do.
A good judge is discerning enough / eloquent enough / technically savvy enough to justify a good judgment to punish any type of offenders under the sun with the thick statues at his / her current disposal even w/o ISA.
Anyway, the judge has the first shot (passing judgement), he just needs to use it to his advantage.
Yes. Not happy can anyhow gather anyone and protest on the streets. No wonder they are detained. Good for them
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chia_Thye_Poh
Chia Thye Poh
——————————–
On 8 October 1966, he led an illegal protest march of 30 supporters to Parliament House and handed a letter to the Clerk of the House demanding a general election be held under eight named conditions, with the release of all political detainees and the revocation of all “undemocratic” laws.[7]
Communism & cold war were at its peak then. The CPM were creating havoc in Malaya and Singapore. Singapore were at its infancy then. I think no matter who is in charge have to do what is necessary to maintain the little stability a new born country have.
If there is no ISA since independence, do you think there is a place known as Singapore today?
In conclusion, we need ISA to delt with the existing complicated situation in this world.
I for ISA ISA.
If you look at the well dressed benign personages sitting in parliament, sometimes nodding off to one side with a trickle of saliva to show the depth of sleep attained, apparently the peaceful expression of a clear conscience, you will never believe that this same person will open his/her eyes fully at the mention of the antics of opposition people and be transformed into a dark spirit bent on blood. For it is no easy thing to let go of this paradise on earth, easily earning millions just by toeing the line, hearing nothing grating to the soul, seeing nothing but palatial mansions here and abroad, eating best food with sycophants heaping unearthly praises about how clever you are, how thoughtful about the poor and downtrodden. It would not be done to use the criterion of right and wrong embedded in your conscience. It would not be bright to say something not said before. That there is something terrible going on in our back room. Because that saying will spill the beans and shatter this superior state of being.
My fellow citizens, if you do not shake the sleeping minister out of his slumber, he/she will continue in that state until old age pushes him or her out of office and into his/her autobiographical project. You’ve seen a lot of autobiographies and biographies of such grand personages these days. Do you ever see in them any mention of the ISD, not to mention their part in the execution of the acts of the ISD?
Our grand personage finally is aware of his surroundings – just to hear it said t ” We must have funds to enable the hordes of foreign talents to integrate into our society.” Round of applause. ISD? what ISD? Never heard of it.Don’t talk to me about such nonsense.
” If there is no ISA since independence, do you think there is a place known as Singapore today?”-supporter of ISA
The answer is yes, yes, yes. There will still be a Singapore today without ISA and ,better still, without PAP.
It is unlikely that a PAP govt will scrap the ISA. It is a tool used by PAP to incarcerate its political opponents that it perceived to be a threat. It is a lie for the PAP govt to claim otherwise. And it is unlikely that the younger PAP MPs to take action to repeal the Act.
DAMNED IT–LEE KUAN YEW IS CORRECT AGAIN!
So our ISA must not be repealed. Maybe, we can just change its name to “National Security Act”, keeping the proscription on islamic terrorism (or on any kind of terrorism), with unambiguous provisions to prevent its abuse against people who have just different political beliefs from the government.
But if their political beliefs aare pernicious, there are enough other laws to bring them for prosecution in a court of law. Without ISA to control those murderous followers of allah, I’m afraid moderate Muslims/followers of ALLAH will forever freak out from any encounter with those sex-crazy demoniacs.
According to WikiLeaks, when Senator Hillary Clinton met MM Lee Kuan Yew in July, 2005, she wrote that “MM Lee Kuan Yew said, ‘Islam is a venomous religion.’” Well, MM Lee denied saying that to her. He said he had told her “Perverted Islam was venomous”, not “Islam”.
If MM Lee did say that, Senator Clinton must have recorded it wrongly; she should have recorded it as “MM Lee said ‘islam is a venomous religion’”; or “Perverted Islam is venomous”. Or what the late Islamic scholar Abdurrahman Wahid (the former blind Indon President) had written about “Wrong Islam versus Right Islam.” (re AWSJ 3/1/2006). Or what I would call “Islam versus islam.” So it is correct to say “islam is venomous”, not “Islam is venomous.”
Well, Prophet Mohammad would say the same thing differently, as “Long Range Islam versus short range islam”. “Long Range Islam” is of course the Islam of ALLAH, while “short range islam” is the islam of allah. According to Prophet Mohammed (pbbuh), short range islam does not go beyond the throats of its believers.
And Prophet Mohammed (pbbuh) said he wanted those who espoused the short range islam to be killed—especially the Khawarij against whom he had expressed revulsion. I feel the better choice is to use ISA to jail the short rangers(those descendants of the hated Khawarij), instead of killing them, unless they have actually committed murders.
Narrated by Yusaid b Amr (r.a.): “I heard Allah’s Apostle saying about the Khawarij: ‘During the last days, there will appear some young foolish people who will recite the Quran (and say the best words), but their faith will not go beyond their throats (i.e. they will have no faith) and will go out from their religion as an arrow darting through the game’s body. So, wherever you find them, kill them [the JIs, alQaedans, etc]. For whoever kills them shall have reward on the Day of Resurrection.’ (Sahih Bukhari 84:64-65).
See what those sex-crazy and hate-driven short-rangers in islam are still doing to the Muslims today if they are not killed? And damned it—MM Lee Kuan Yew is right again for allegedly saying, “islam is a venomous religion.” Those short-rangers in allah’s venomous islam are mass-slaughtering innocent Muslims again in Pakistan. (re TODAY 20/9/2011, p.24 and ST 20/9/2011, p A16). Sadly, such massacring by the short rangers can never be stopped as Pakistan does not have the ISA against them like we have in Singapore.
How can islam be a good religion when innocent Muslims are being wilfully and cruelly slaughtered everyday in Pakistan and many other places by those hate-driven and sex-crazy short-ranging followers in islam? With many more innocent Muslims being maimed for life too?
The Quran in Al-Anbiya 21:107 expressly says,“We [Allah] have sent you (O Mohammad SAW) not but as a Mercy for all the humans and all that exists in this World.” Prophet Mohammed himself said: “God did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He has sent me to teach and make things easy [for the Muslim Ummah].”(re Sahih Muslim B9N3506).So why the senseless mass-slaughtering of innocent Muslims?
The Quran also prohibits Muslims from killing Muslims (re An-Nisaa 4:92). It declares that he who kills an innocent person is as good as killing the whole of humanity (Al-Maida 5:32).
Fortunately in U.K., police recently arrested 7 of allah’s followers in time to avert another islamic mass-slaughters of the innocent in islam’s never-ending holy wars against humanity(re TODAY 20/9/2011, p. 4)
That’s why I have lost interest in advocating for the repeal of ISA. Without ISA in Singapore, followers of ISLAM will be cowed by followers of islam, as MM Lee had correctly said that the latter “have hijacked ISLAM to recruit volunteers for islam’s violent ends”.
Through ISA, MM Lee wants to give courage to moderate Muslims who want to worship ALLAH in peace and harmony. He said: “[So] the ultimate solution …was to give [the freaked out] moderate Muslims the courage to stand up and speak out against radicals [in allah's islam] who have hijacked Islam to recruit volunteers for their violent ends”.
So moderate Muslims need to help me promote the goodness in ALLAH’s ISLAM, such as the transcendentally beautiful Quranic Prayer of Prophet Suleiman in Naml 27:19. Otherwise the battle against the islamists in allah’s islam can never be won. Don’t worry, moderate Muslims—you will have the ISA to protect you from the harm of allah’s wicked followers.
ALLAHU Akbar! God is Greatest!!
Here is the link to the BBC lectures by The Lady on freedom.
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/radio4/transcripts/2011_reith1.pdf
Isa is not only used on political opponents. It is indirectly used to scare S’poreans. They fear of speaking up, they fear of attending speaker’s corner speeches for fear that they may be recorded and the Isa comes knocking 1 day in the middle of the night.
PAP will never give up Isa. They are so poor at debating. Isa is their last resort weapon in their arsenal.
I agree that arguably ISA was needed back then.
However, it had served its purpose. BWe have established a legal system. Do we still need ISA? Do we still need to detain witout trial?