E Contrario

I believe Ahmad Shabery Cheek is the last person who will try to defend ISA and Kem Kamunting. Being some one who had been in opposition, Shabery himself experienced threats and harassments from the ISA. I am quite sure his sympathy lies with the victims of political persecution.

Human rights violation is wrong, denying people’s freedom is wrong. It is not sanctioned by Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism or any faith. No prisoners should be tortured—no matter what the form: burned by cigarette butts, or deprived of sleep, or forced to share meal with dogs,…they are all wrong.

Malaysian government has no moral standing to condemn Guantanamo Bay Prison Camp while Malaysia continues to practice detention without trial. What difference does it make? Malaysia is detaining our own citizens who were alleged by the US to be terrorists. The detainees of ISA are not even given a chance for trial. On what justification can the Malaysian Foreign Ministry demand for the US to provide a fair trial for Malaysian detainees in Guantanamo Bay?

I am sure Shabery knew this inhumane law is outdated, and it has been used largely to repress political dissents. I don’t even think he is convinced by his own answer.

In private discussion, Shabery is mostly in agreement with me on our country’s poor record of human rights and democracy. Shabery sometimes ran down Anwar for not being determined enough to abolish ISA or UUCA when he was DPM. Ironically, he is now forced to be an apologist of ISA.

Perhaps Shabery will learn the bitter lesson which Anwar learned: you can’t change Umno from within, especially if you are part of the Umno leadership.