Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin
today refused comment on the recent use of the Internal Security Act
(ISA) to detain alleged terrorists in Sabah.
“Let
the inspector-general of police deal with this,” he said when quizzed
on the matter during his visit to SK Seri Sentul 1, Kuala Lumpur.
Muhyiddin was quizzed on the matter in view of the Najib administration’s September pledge to abolish the ISA as part of a slew of legislative reforms to create more democratic space.
According to press reports, the group was nabbed by the Bukit Aman counter-terrorism squad between Monday night and yesterday.
Details of the raid are sketchy, with news reports on the number arrested varying between 10 to 13.
PAS members among those nabbed
The New Straits Times claimed that those arrested were part of a Kalimantan-based militant group who were armed when they were arrested.
But a Star report shed light on a political link to the arrests, quoting Sabah PAS chairman Mohd Aminuddin Aling stating that those arrested includes PAS members.
He said that those arrested were respected Islamic missionaries.
The arrests had led to rights groups questioning the Najib administration’s resolve in ridding the country of the ISA, a powerful law which allows detention without trial.
On September 15, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said the law would be abolished and replaced by two new security laws.
No time line for the repeal had been set.
“Let
the inspector-general of police deal with this,” he said when quizzed
on the matter during his visit to SK Seri Sentul 1, Kuala Lumpur.Muhyiddin was quizzed on the matter in view of the Najib administration’s September pledge to abolish the ISA as part of a slew of legislative reforms to create more democratic space.
According to press reports, the group was nabbed by the Bukit Aman counter-terrorism squad between Monday night and yesterday.
Details of the raid are sketchy, with news reports on the number arrested varying between 10 to 13.
PAS members among those nabbed
The New Straits Times claimed that those arrested were part of a Kalimantan-based militant group who were armed when they were arrested.
But a Star report shed light on a political link to the arrests, quoting Sabah PAS chairman Mohd Aminuddin Aling stating that those arrested includes PAS members.
He said that those arrested were respected Islamic missionaries.
The arrests had led to rights groups questioning the Najib administration’s resolve in ridding the country of the ISA, a powerful law which allows detention without trial.
On September 15, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said the law would be abolished and replaced by two new security laws.
No time line for the repeal had been set.
No comments:
Post a Comment