MAY 6 - Dear Prime Minister, I draw your attention to and express my grave concern on reading media reports on the arrest of Wong Chin Huat, the spokesman for polls reform group Bersih, last night at his home for investigations under S.4(1) of the Sedition Act.
It was also reported that, upon arrest, he was taken away to an undisclosed location after midnight and his whereabouts kept secret. It was further reported that he was to be produced in court either to be charged or for a remand order today.
If these reports are correct they must be a source of concern to you and all Malaysians. The continued use of the draconian Sedition Act is bad enough. But the manner in which Wong was arrested and taken to an undisclosed location in the middle of the night is akin to what we have seen in repressive States where there is no rule of law.
Is Malaysia moving towards such a police state? Arrest and detention prior to investigations for an offence under S.4(1) of the Sedition Act is most unwarranted and most unbecoming.
These events go counter to the promises you made publicly soon after you were appointed Prime Minister on April 3, 2009. You called for the removal of the temporary ban on two newspapers, the release of 13 ISA detainees and the review of the ISA itself.
You went on and said “These decisions are timely as we move to enhance the confidence of our citizens in those entrusted with maintaining peace, law and order, while recognising the need to remain vigilant of the very real security threats we continue to face as a young nation”.
Far from enhancing the confidence of Malaysians in the police, their conduct in the arrest and detention of Wong further erodes public confidence in the enforcement agencies in Malaysia. How could Wong’s call on behalf of Bersih to the public to wear black tomorrow as a mark of protest over developments in Perak be seen as a threat to public security?
Please do not confuse threats to security of State with security of the government in power.
I urge you not to follow the path of Dr (now Tun) Mahathir Mohamad who made similar promises when he took office as Prime Minister in 1982 and later systematically turned the nation to a repressive State where, till today, the rule of law is seen on the balance.
Please remember that rule of law is not synonymous with rule by law.
* Dato' Param Cumaraswamy is the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges & Lawyers.
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