Standing up for Justice for All-A People's Action Council launched 

A People's Council represented by all the opposition political parties and a number of NGOs has been formed to address the deteriorating human rights condition in the country following the arrest and slanderous media propaganda against Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, former DPM. Known as Gereakan Keadilan Rakyat Malaysia or Movement for Justice for the People, it was formed at a meeting convened by PAS on 22nd September at its headquarters. 

The inaugural meeting was attended by many NGOs such as Persatuan Ulema, JIM, ABIM, Suram, CAP and few other smaller organisations. Prominent individuals also took part in its deliberations. The NGOs and the political parties-PAS, DAP and PRM- will be represented in the Council at the highest level by the President or chairman of the respective organisations and parties. 

The movement will come up with immediate action plan to defend the fast dwindling human rights of the people of Malaysia. 

Some of the major areas they will be concerned with immediately are government's use of ISA to arrest its opponents and the wanton violation of human rights by the police under the cover of maintaining law and order and the complete breakdown of the Rule of Law in the country. (see page 20-21) 

The Council will also focus on abuse of power by the government by threatening people with more arrests and other dire consequences for students and others who speak up for the rights of the people. Also the fast eroding confidence in the integrity of the Juidiciary will be the Council's immediate concern. 

The participants of the inaugural meeting unanimously requested Ustad Fadil Noor, the president of PAS to preside the Action Council. All the parties pledged to stand united to face whatever situation following any joint action the Council may propose in the near future. 

The other areas the council will look into will be the rape of media by the government and its appointed agents by using the print and electronic media to slander and spread obscenity so much so the media has become so vulgar now and unfit to place in the family living room. It is a shame that the media has become a government tool to distort democracy and free speech. 

Earlier in the morning PAS President Ustad Fadzil Noor held a press conference, and issued a statement strongly condemning the arrest of Anwar Ibrahim. PAS also reminded the police, in the statement, not to commit excesses on Anwar and his friends while they are in their custody. The full text of the press statement is follows: 

1. PAS condemns in the strongest terms the arrest of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters on the night of September 20, 1998. This happened inspite of PM's earlier assurarances that Anwar would not be arrested and would be given the chance to explain his case to the people. 

2. The arrest has, in our view, denied Anwar's right to explain the outrageous allegations against him. 

3. PAS abhors the way the police arrested Anwar: the use of the Special Action Unit which stormed and broke into his home as if to nab a street criminal... This goes against all standards of human civility and dignity, especially when Anwar had at all time been prepared to be arrested and had promised full coperation with the police should he be wanted by police. 

4. We remind the police not to commit excesses on the detainees during the course of investigation; and not to resort to any kind of fitnah against them. We are compelled to remind this because we know that quite a number brutal regimes in other parts of the world had committed such excesses against their opponents and they include injecting HIV virus to weaken the resistances of their victims and so also later on to make their accusation of homo-sex credibile in the eyes of the world.We warn the police and the government of Divine punishment awaiting those who perpetuate injustice and resort to slander against the hapless detainees. 

5. We demand an independent inquiry on violence by Police and their rough treatments of peaceful protesters. 

6. The use of ISA against Anwar shows the government's failure to prove all the allegations against him. We demand Anwar and his supporters be freed unconditionally, or be charged in an open court. 

7. We urge that any hearing of the case should be conducted in accordance with proper procedures and rule of law, as well as a fair and just trial - i.e., not creating any doubts or diminish the people's confidence in the itegrity of judiciary. 

[Please also the press statement issued by PRM on this issue on page 21.]