PM Dept acknowledged receiving my letter

The PM department did sent me an acknowledgement that they have received my letter less than 24 hours after I have sent it.

Whether Pak Lah gets to read it is another matter.

Dear Prime Minister

Please read my attached letter.
I would appreciate an acknowledgement that you have received the letter.

J.A Aheng

23^rd September 2008

ABOLISH THE INTERNAL SECURITY ACT

Dear Beloved Prime Minister,

I am sure you are aware that on12^th September 2008, Member of Parliament, Teresa Kok, a Sin Chew Daily Journalist, Tan Hoon Cheng and a Blogger of Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Kamrudin was arrested under the ISA.

I am happy to note that the two women had been released but am most devastated to learn that your Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar last night signed the detention order for the blogger to be held under section 8(1) of the ISA. This I understand mean that Pete would be detained for at least two years without trial. The section mentions that the detention “is necessary with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia…”

Do you honestly believe or perceive that Pete would act in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia?

According to his lawyer J Chandra, Raja Petra was arrested for publishing articles on the news portal Malaysia Today, which allegedly tarnished the leadership of the country and insulted the sanctity of Islam. Do you personally think he has insulted the sanctity of Islam? If he had allegedly tarnished the reputation of our leaders, then how come those leaders do not challenge him in court for defamation?

I still can't understand how articles in RPK’s blog can create unrest and chaos. If his articles are indeed sensitive or made up of plain lies, charge him in a court of law. In fact, he has been charged under the Sedition Act and is awaiting trial. Why the need to incarcerate him in Kamunting?

I was under the impression that the ISA was first created to fight armed terrorists and those communists. Some time ago, when some terrorist commandos tried to take over an army camp, the government did not arrest them under the ISA. If I remember correctly, they were arrested and charged with treason and jailed. Those men were carrying weapons of mass destruction and yet they escaped the ISA. However this archaic law has been used on Tan Hoon Cheng, Teresa Kok and RPK who can hardly be considered dangerous. Where is justice? Where is the rule of law?

I am just a very simple housewife with two teenage children who are born overseas but choose to come back to live in Malaysia because I love this country of ours where I believe that our multi cultural people can live together in harmony.

I cannot sit back and watch this upstanding citizen Raja Petra spend two years in detention, while rapists, murderers, racial bigots, thieves, Mat Rempit and the like are free to roam the streets? I don’t think the rakyat will keep silent very much longer over such a travesty of justice.

John R Malott (former US ambassador to Malaysia): The decision by Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar to send RPK to the Kamunting detention centre for two years under the ISA is an outrage.

I beg you, my beloved Prime Minister, Please get rid of this very BAD ACT. Please do not let any future leaders use this law against any Malaysian Citizen.