The recent ISA detentions of leading Malaysian opposition-activists mark a
low-point in the already tumultuously controversial sheenanigans of the
Barisan Nasional-led 'government' that the country has been forced to
endure over the last few years.

Much has been said about the gross human rights violations of the BN in
their mismanagement of this country, so I will instead point out other
alarming matters that will arise from this latest conspiracy between UMNO,
the BN and the police. 

Beyond the issues of human rights and reformasi, ISA detentions are bad 
for business. Instead of uniting the country to face the economic challenges
and problems we and the rest of the region are facing, the BN find yet
another way of splintering the nation and giving foreign investors yet
another excuse to treat Malaysia like a Third World country on the brink of
disintegration, by serving up this so-called plot brewing between the
Opposition and the armed forces. 

By conjuring up fables of activists conspiring to buy weapons and leading
an armed struggle with the nation's armed forces, the BN and the police
have irresponsibly placed Malaysia on the global map of hot-spots for
terrorism and violence. While the average Malaysian may laugh at this
latest excuse given by the same police force who couldn't even handle 
the relatively smaller clashes in Kg Medan recently, people outside 
Malaysia may actually take this "armed struggle brewing in Malaysia" 
excuse very seriously. The police have proven their inefficiency in handling 
a village-level ethnic clash and yet, they issue statements suggesting that
they can take on trained soldiers of the Malaysian armed forces in this
so-called "conspiracy". Unfortunately, investors are not convinced of 
their abilities and so, they are viewing this allegation seriously. Business
deals are at stake, as are jobs and the economic stability and security of
the country. Yet, the BN and police persist in further threatening the
fragile national security of Malaysia with their continued misguided
actions and fantasy-spinning.

I strongly urge the police to stop issuing statements that imply that
Malaysia is at the brink of anarchy and disintegration to justify the
arrests without trial of opposition activists. If the police are able to
bring to court suspected insurrectionists of the Al-Maunah group as 
well as suspected murderers/rioters of the Kg Medan clashes recently, then 
there should be no reason they cannot do the same with these seven
opposition-activists. Produce the evidence and charge them in court. Or
else release them. As long as these seven are detained without charge, the
so-called "evidence" given by the police will be regarded by any thinking
Malaysian as fictitious. It is yet another blow to the attempts of this
country's citizens, who are trying their very best to compete on the world
stage, to preserve whatever national dignity we have left after the BN has
so thoroughly decimated it through corruption, mismanagement, economic 
and human rights violations and clownish mishandling of domestic and
international issues. 

Malaysia is a peaceful country, and unlike other countries, we are lucky to
have an Opposition that has proven itself non-violent and caring to the
interests of the people first. Unlike others, Malaysians are pragmatic and
intelligent, even in their opposition. However, the BN-controlled police
force seems to be more interested in stirring up fears of violence in an
otherwise peaceful democracy. 

The only recourse for the police to preserve national security is to
immediately release the seven activists held under the ISA and stop 
issuing such irresponsible statements at once. 

The streets of Malaysia's urban hubs are threatened by criminals and
robbers. If they need something to do, perhaps the police should spend
their time looking into the worrying and escalating crime rates in Kuala
Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and other towns in Malaysia, instead of thinking 
upnew fantasies of army insurrections. Or, failing that, they can always 
look into the violence-prone UMNO division meetings around the country to 
keep them occupied, rather than wasting tax-payers' money picking up 
harmless activists and interrogating them for 60 days. 

Sheryll Stothard
Vice President
Parti Rakyat Malaysia
April 13, 2001