Abdullah steering Malaysia toward a police state, says PAS president
EnglishSection.com, Mon 10 Dec 2007
KUALA LUMPUR: The Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang viewed moves made by the ruling government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi as steering the country toward a "police state".
"PAS viewed today incidents as worrisome and (we) register our strongest condemnations," he said in a statement issued Dec 9.
Abdul Hadi noted that a Sessions Court in Kuala Terengganu had declined bail on two PAS members who among others were alleged to have caused serious injury to a policeman despite the two being the victims of live bullets shot by the police.
Abdul Hadi also noted five lawyers and three activists who were detained for participating in a march in conjunction with the International Human Rights Day.
Another lawyer was also detained for reportedly obstructing the authorities from removing a banner at an event held by the Bar Council to commemorate the day.
Abdul Hadi also noted that warrant of arrest had been issued against his vice president Muhammad Sabu for allegedly participating in an "illegal assembly".
"I call on PAS members nationwide especially at the division level to held (special) prayers," he said.
All detainees are expected to be brought to the Jalan Duta at 9am today.
Gov't preparing to unleash ISA, says Anwar
In a separate statement, Parti Keadilan Rakyat(PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim meanwhile condemned Abdullah for the weekend arrest of the eight individuals leading a peaceful demonstration in observance of International Human Rights Day.
"(The arrest) renders hollow any claims that Abdullah has made as to the laudable condition of Malaysian democracy," he said.
He said on the contrary, the preposterous notion that the assembly consisting of some 100 marchers would pose any threat to public safety offers incontrovertible evidence that the law is being used in Malaysia to subvert freedom and to suppress the people's fundamental democratic right to peaceful assembly.
"The individuals who have been detained today are among the most patriotic Malaysian citizens and many have dedicated their life's work to upholding the Rule of Law," he said.
In the absence of any evidence that they planned to jeopardize the public's safety, their arrest represents nothing more than scare tactics we have seen used in the past by the Malaysian government as it prepares to unleash the draconian measures of the Internal Security Act, he said.
"I call upon the authorities to release all those detained today (Dec 9) unconditionally and with immediate effect. I also call upon the government to end its attack on the constitutionally sanctioned right to peaceful assembly," he said. — Saadon Aksah/ES
