Zaman Khan: We could have defended ISA, EO

Ex-senior cop Zaman Khan did not say anything then. However, he is saying it now - that it was a big mistake to repeal the ISA and EO.

It was after the abolition of the two 'draconian laws' that saw the country faced with serious racial and religious problems, while serious crimes went out of control.

I agree. What about you, readers?

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — The repeal of preventive detention laws has opened the floodgates of attacks against the special position of Malay-Muslims and the roots of the country as Tanah Melayu, a former senior police officer told a forum on the law enforcers today.
In calling for the return of colonial era laws that had allowed authorities to hold suspects without charge or trial, such as the now-repealed Emergency Ordinance (EO) and the Internal Security Act (ISA), the panelists accused Putrajaya of pandering to liberals pushing for human rights, whom they allege to be influenced by the West.
“Before ISA was abolished, did we have people making cartoons of breaking fast with pork?” former Criminal Investigation Department chief Tan Sri Zaman Khan told the crowd here.
Zaman was referring to the controversial Ramadan greeting by sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee, which he held up as an example of many such incident he alleged has occurred since the laws’ abolition.
“Islam is being insulted ... Did Islam ever intrude into their beliefs?” he asked.
Zaman also claimed that before the abolition of the two laws introduced to deal with communist insurgents, other Malaysians had not dared to touch on the “special rights” of the Malays; now, he said, most have forgotten the roots of Malaysia as the land of Malays (Tanah Melayu).
“We would never be here without ISA ... Because of ISA, which prevents people from doing what they like, we are safe,” Zaman added.

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"...The most controversial law is the Internal Security Act, great controversy went on and still going on about this Act. Its opponents have argued that the Act is inconsistent with democracy, especially those provisions which give power to the police to exercise arbitrary arrest and detention without trial. I maintained then and I maintain now the view that the Internal Security Act is essential to the security of this country especially when democracy is interpreted the way it is interpreted in this country.  To those in opposition to the Government, democracy is interpreted to mean absolute freedom, even the freedom to subvert the nation.  When cornered by the argument that democracy in the western sense means freedom in an ordered society and an ordered society is on in which the rule of law prevails, they seek refuge in the slogan that we should not imitate western democracy one hundred percent. i am convinced that the Internal Security Act as practiced in Malaysia is not contrary to the fundamentals of democracy. Abuse of the Act can be prevented by vigilant public opinion via elections, a free press and above all, the parliament."

Tun Dr Ismail, quote taken from The Reluctant Politician

relates to :http://umnorajachulan.blogspot.com/2013/08/pemansuhan-akta-kesannya.html