PR: Utusan’s ISA call a bid to frighten Malays

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers have attacked Utusan Malaysia’s latest diatribe which calls for the Internal Security Act (ISA) to be used, saying it is an “old tactic” to scare Malays into thinking that their rights are being eroded.

The lawmakers claimed that the Ummo-owned daily’s push for the use of the law — which allows for detention without trial — reflects the party’s inability to address problems affecting the Malays.

It also intends to frighten the Malays into thinking that their rights, which are guaranteed under the Federal Constitution, are in jeopardy.

Utusan editor Zaini Hassan wrote the editorial today that called for the ISA to be used against those who questioned the Federal Constitution, saying “Use the ISA. All of us Malaysians want the government to use this law against anyone who wants to threaten the peace and stability in this country.

PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim slammed the article, saying that Utusan’s latest claims reflect the ruling Umno elite’s inability to have an open “intellectual” debate on the Constitution.

“Utusan has tried this angle again and again. It is an age-old debate that has been going on. Utusan’s arguments represent the views of the ruling elite who are not prepared to face the Malay masses. They cannot address the problems that are affecting the Malays, therefore they are using the ISA as an excuse to make Malays feel that their rights are under threat,” said Anwar.

Anwar told The Malaysian Insider that Malays should be open to discussions on the Constitution, saying that the special rights of Malays and Bumiputeras under Article 153 will be upheld.

“Malays should have the confidence, they should have the strength and the resolve for an intellectual debate, to truly understand the position of the Malays today, and what they can do to become better, more competitive, more successful,” said Anwar, when commenting on the editorial.

The former deputy prime minister also defended his daughter — Nurul Izzah Anwar’s actions in inviting Malay rights group Perkasa for a dialogue on Malay rights recently.

“All (Nurul) Izzah was saying was that let us look at the provisions within the Constitution. Let us discuss this. The provisions are meant to be protected. It is only being discussed because leaders from the ruling elite have used this to protect their cronies.

“Who is questioning the Constitution? Their assumption is based on their lies and deceit, as well as their inability to form coherent arguments [based on] their archaic form of thinking,” added Anwar.

The Utusan article also called on the Najib Administration, specifically the Home Ministry, to be “firmer” in taking action against individuals who questioned the social contract.

“The Home Ministry has to be firmer...people are wanting firm action to stabilise the country’s situation, This is our country, we love this country, what do we care about what foreigners say about our country’s security.

“Only those who have ill intentions and don’t want the ISA to threaten them would oppose the ISA and would want it abolished. Don’t let a small group of protestors (less than 10 people) in London the other day be a reason for the government to be soft... everyone knows that the protests were done by the country’s opposition,” said the article.

Utusan’s latest comments follows Perkasa’s recent call for a crackdown on web users who allegedly insulted Islam, by detaining them under the ISA.

“This is a repeat of the only script they (Utusan) know. I stand by my principles on my challenge to Perkasa. We are not asking for the Constitution to be amended. [But] we should be allowed to discuss openly. Malays have to draw up a new script for Malaysian. We cannot let this same script dictate our thinking,” said Nurul.

Perkasa had declined her invitation to debate on Malay rights, claiming that Malay rights could not be questioned or debated.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had also recently warned against questioning provisions of the Constitution, as well as the social contract.

Nurul said that the mindset of Malays in Perkasa and those within Utusan were actually a hindrance to Najib’s reform plans under the New Economic Model (NEM).

“It’s a scare tactic on their (Utusan’s) part. This is clear when even an implementation of the NEM has been met with resistance from these groups,” said the PKR Lembah Pantai MP.

DAP’s Charles Santiago said that Najib’s silence on Utusan’s and Perkasa’s calls indicated that he is not willing to make a decisive move and this will affect his reform plans for the country’s economy.

“He (Najib) is getting chopped on both sides. Given that he’s not said anything, we don’t know the direction of the country’s leadership.

“When you read Utusan, you get the impression that the Malays are under attack. Utusan is manufacturing a consensus of how non-Malays are questioning Malay rights in the Constitution,” said Charles.

The Klang MP claimed that by creating a “false sense of fear” among the Malays, Utusan as well as Umno are risking a backlash from foreign investors.

“Utusan is creating a false fear among the Malays... But what they did not think of is that foreign investors are looking at this, the developments. Instability like this will affect foreign investments coming in the country,” Charles told The Malaysian Insider. - The Malaysian Insider