Najib's Freudian slip on ISA as political tool

YOURSAY 'A confession like this would be a big slap on the face of Mahathir. Now I wondered what sorts of venom this twisted soul will sprout this time.'

Najib: ISA abolished because it didn't help politically
AnakBangsaMalaysia: Note that PM Najib Razak specifically said that the ISA (Internal Security Act) was abolished because "it did not benefit BN politically" - and not because the ISA was a draconian and repressive law that was used far more frequently to against political opponents than it ever had been against the real enemies of the country.

The sheer callousness of BN is so completely ingrained in them that they no longer even consider the human rights aspect when abolishing an unjust law, only whether it will 'benefit BN politically'.

Odin: So, now we hear it from the horse's mouth. The ISA was primarily meant for the BN to use to incapacitate its political opponents.

CN Yee: Now this is a strange confession from the prime minister. It amounts to admitting that ISA was for the purpose of 'political benefits' and killing the 'political career' of opponents for the sake of the powers-that-be.

So how about national security? How about justice for the hundreds (maybe thousands) that were put through untold suffering under this draconian law?

As also admitted by Najib. the police never bothered to establish the guilt of those detained. So should it be time now for police to put in a bit of hard work to either establish the guilt or clear the names of those who were detained?

It's a strange confession indeed. The line of 'reasoning' given by the Najib probably arose during his discussions with his advisors whether or not to abolish ISA. And to blurt it out in public - it looks like Najib has shot his own foot (again!).

A confession like this would be a big slap on the face of former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Now I wondered what sorts of venom this twisted soul will spout this time.

Dood: So, let me get this straight... the ISA was abolished not because it was an unjust and unethical law, but because the Umno-BN found that this law - which was originally meant to be used sparingly and only against domestic communist threats - did not benefit them politically?

Considering how Umno-BN has actually been using the ISA, should we be surprised at this Freudian slip?

Paul Warren: So finally he admits that many who were incarcerated were done so because they were politically inconvenient to Umno and BN.

This is no different from what happens in China today as well as what happened in the then Soviet Union.

The ISA was supposed to hold those who threatened the security of the nation, not the continued dominance of Umno.

1Voice: This ISA/EO (Emergency Ordinance) matter is a strange confession coming from the PM.

ISA is a draconian law and cause inhumane suffering to political detainees. It is against human rights and has to be done away. Similarly EO has been abused by PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) - it's good that Najib has recognised it.

It shows how BN government has been tolerating these laws for their own benefits. Najib has let the cat out the bag by his own admission.

Joker: "Now police must train themselves how to look for evidence," said Najib on the abolition of EO.

You mean the police were not trained to look for evidence during their police academy training? It must have been easy being a police officer in the old days. They only need to decide whether to invoke the EO or the ISA.

Najib is unusually forthright this time. His statement reminded me of a famous line from the fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes.

Holmes styled himself as a ‘consultant detective'. He said, "When the police is out of their depth, which is always, they come to me."

I guess the ISA/EO is the Holmes equivalent in Malaysia.

Trublumalaysian: "This is why the socialist approach does not work, they only talk of distributing, but we create wealth and then re-distribute."

Really PM? The question we ask is, to whom?

Anonymous_5fb: Najib, I propose you to be arrested under ISA, go through the interrogation and torture, as this doesn't kill you politically but will instead enhance your political career.

What are you waiting for? Please tell your cousin, the home minister, to sign the papers immediately.

Chkiew: We thought finally they come to their senses. ISA was repelled because it was no longer of political use?

Who would even made such admission, even when all of us knew all along BN has been abusing ISA to silent political rivals despite giving guarantee not to do so. Really sickening!

Tan Heng Ken: What do you mean ISA did not help politically?
It had in fact helped BN tremendously to stay in power for the past 50 over years, the used and abused of ISA to detain credible opposition politicians who dared to expose BN, and in particular Umno, wrongdoings and thus stopped the rise of a strong opposition.

1234567: Now they admit it, the purpose of ISA was to kill their opponents' political career. And now that they find it did not work, they have decided to abolish it.

ISA was not used to protect the citizens, but Umno people.

LittleGiant: History has proven time and again that regimes with draconian laws have not survived and ultimately have collapsed.

Ideologies and beliefs of political leaders and even social activists cannot be easily taken away from them with laws that robs the fundamental rights of human beings.

Dr Jag #04496187: Thank you, Mr Prime Minister, for the clarification. I knew you had the final say on this matter.

If your reasoning is to gain traction, then you too can advance your political career by being subjected to the strictures of the ISA.

So, why not confess your transgressions, sins and crimes, and go to jail for a spell, come back and defeat all the naysayers? - Malaysiakini