It all started with the newspaper in the morning.

Even my dog couldn't tahan the news, until it teared it apart, like really APART. Though losing 50% of the header, I could still recognize that 3 people were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA). This was quoted from one of the press:

• Raja Petra is alleged to have posted articles deemed seditious and that also belittle Islam
• SinChew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng is believed to have been arrested over her report on former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Admad Ismail's racist remarks whie campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election last month
• Kok is believed to have been picked up in connection with a residents petition in Puchong over a mosque

My first thought was WTF! OK, you may disagree with me. Even though I disagree, but I could understand why Raja Petra was arrested (given what have happened previously). But hell, Teresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng??? Who was causing all the chaos? Ahmad who made a racist remark or Tan who reported the remark? Holy crap.

After reading the newspaper, Weiwei and I immediately thought that we wanna express our anger in our blogs, and we thought that's all we could do. Until afternoon when I got this SMS from a friend, asking me if I wanna join the candlelight vigil in Bukit Aman Police station in the night. The answer was definitely a YES without any second thought. 

This is the first thing we saw when we got there. Bunch of FRU surrounding the crowds.

There was a lot of people, and reporters too. Shortly after we arrived, one of the policemen told us that we shouldn't gather around as there wasn't any permit, but they allowed us to march around. And so we marched.

Marching for the freedom of Malaysia.

We marched for 15 minutes, and was forced to disperse by the FRU with their shields and sticks. FRU with shields and sticks VS. civilians with candles... yeah, we were forced to disperse, and that's when I felt that people in Malaysia is so powerless against what's happening around them. People are forced to swallow what was given, or they choose to?

This is the first time I participated in such a vigil. Sad to say, there was only around 200 people, out of all the people in KL. Where the hell were all the people? Drinking tea tarik at mamak, watching Astro at home or Facebooking? Damn, don't they realized this is for the sake of their own country?

ISA = Individual Safety Assistance?

Tan was released the next day after the arrestment. Ironically, the Home Minister of Malaysia explained that the reporter was arrested because her security was under threat and not because what she did was a threat to national security. OMG, Malaysian Government is really good in telling joke. Come on, I have a few questions, maybe some of you can help me with this:

1. How many people knows how Tan Hoon Cheng looks like before she was arrested?
2. Now that everybody knows that how Tan looks like, if her life was seriously under threat, is it more dangerous for her to be on the street now compared to previously?
3. 18 hours of protection. Woohh... And you don't need protection after that. Are you kidding me?

Abolish ISA?

OK, in my opinion, I think ISA shouldn't be abolished, I think it does serve its purpose, if it is used in the right way. Yes, it's arguable, I know. In this real world, it is possible that there could be threats without obvious evidents, e.g. terrorism, where you can't wait, collect evidents and judge. Same as what happened in the past when communists was a threat.

But like I said, if it is used in the right way. However that doesn't seem to be so currently. When asked the PM, PM said "I don't know about this, ask Home Minister". When asked the Home Minister, Minister said "I don't know about this, ask the police". What's the procedure anyway??

If a more transparent procedure exist for ISA, it would serve its purpose.

Comments

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pc 2008-09-15 21:10:29 i m hoping & praying the same

eelainee 2008-09-17 03:27:59 wow!!! so happening.. can't imagine myself in such vigil... but that's definitely a cool experience... well, what i wanted to say, i am really dissapointed with politic already... who is right? who is wrong? is malaysia going to be safe ??? who knows? who can gurantee???

wow wow wow CK Yap 2008-09-19 08:26:31 Fong, I din know you are so patriotic. Respect lar. I am proud of you. Thumb up for your great support.

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