Review For Hindraf 5 Under ISA Detention? Syed Hamid Albar Plays Dumb

The detention of the five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act will be reviewed as there is provision for it, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

He, however, said he did not know yet when the review period would be for the five who are under a two-year detention at the Kamunting detention camp.

He also said that he was not involved in the review.

"Since I am not involved in the review, I will leave it to those responsible to make proposals (on their detention period) and only then can we take the necessary action," he told reporters Friday at his office here.

Better known as the Hindraf 5, the men under detention for their role in the Nov 25 protests in Kuala Lumpur last year, are P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, K. Vasantha Kumar, R. Kengadharan, and M. Manoharan who won the Kota Alam Shah state seat by a 7,184-vote majority over incumbent Ching Su Chen of Barisan Nasional.

When asked on calls for Manoharan's release to allow him to take care of his constituency, Syed Hamid said any action taken would be based on precedent, adding that the law was applicable even on those who are under detention.

"We cannot simply react to political parties' call, we have to react towards what is public safety and peace and will make due considerations if there is no threat to national security," he said, adding that if they found no changes to the situation, it would not be considered.

Syed Hamid added that Manoharan could not attend state assembly sessions as an elected representative while under detention.

But he said Manoharan could take an oath as a state assemblyman at the detention camp as this had been done in the past.

Chian Heng Kai and Chan Kok Kit, who won the Batu Gajah and Sungai Besi parliamentary seats respectively on a DAP ticket, did so in the presence of the speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Tan Sri Dr Syed Nasir Ismail, the secretary of the Dewan Rakyat and camp authorities in 1978. (The Star)

***** Syed Hamid Albar should act like the Home Minister that he is and not try to be diplomatic as if he were still in the Foreign Ministry. Nothing involving ISA detainees can escape his purview and he should stop this "I don't know," or "I am not involved," bullshit. His lame excuse that the authorities 'must make due considerations if there is no threat to national security' is laughable at best and downright pathetic and stupid at worst.

Keeping those chaps from Hindraf under the ISA is a despicable act, a serious travesty of justice and totally out of sync with claims by the government that we are a democracy. Come on Syed Hamid, do end this sham as quickly as you can. It might earn a little credibility for you, even if the other principals responsible for their detention will always stand condemned.
Image - Source