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Monday 22 September 2008

No law will stay forever, says Hamid

Johor (Daily Express): No law created by man will stay forever and that included the country's preventive law, the Internal Security Act (ISA), said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

Speaking after breaking fast at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters, Saturday, he said the Government would always look into amending laws in accordance with the demands of changes and time.

But before that could happen, the people should love their country by ensuring peace and security, he said.

"In this country, we want to build a nation where the people understand their responsibility towards each other and also the sensitivities of the various races," he said.

However, until now he said there were still people who played the race card and sensitive issues that could inflame emotions and eventually lead to public disorder.

Syed Hamid was asked on Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim and the Bar Council's calls for a cautious review or complete abolishment of the ISA.

He said the Government opined that the Internal Security Act was still necessary to ensure peace and security and had no plans to do away with it.

Citing that without the preventive law, should anything happen due to sensitive issues, the consequences would be very hard to mend.

Asked on the mounting pressure on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to expedite power transition to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Syed Hamid said Umno had its tradition to follow which was to do things in a way that could ensure discipline and the unity of the party was maintained.

At the same time, he said there should be a proper succession for the party leadership.

"Pak Lah (Abdullah) has agreed that he will go earlier, but so far as the timing is concerned, it is between him and Najib to discuss," he adde

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