Sunday September 14, 2008

‘Reporter’s life was threatened’

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB and ANDREW SAGAYAM

Syed Hamid: We are not above the law
Syed Hamid: We do not abuse the ISA

KUALA LUMPUR: Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) because police received information that her life had been threatened, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

“Police wanted to get to the bottom of it,” he said.

Press briefing: Syed Hamid making a point as Narcotics Crime Investigations Department director Deputy Comm Datuk Zulhasnan Najib Baharuddin (left) and Acting Inspector- General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar (second from right) look on.

However, the minister vehemently denied that he had anything to do with the arrests and detention of Tan and two others — Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Selangor senior executive councillor Teresa Kok — under the ISA on Friday.

Raja Petra was arrested for being a threat to security, peace and public order while Tan was picked up for her report on former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks. Kok was detained over a residents’ petition in Puchong over a mosque.

He said the action was taken by the police themselves based on their assessment of the current situation as they had “strong and good reason” to believe that conflict could happen and public order could be jeopardised.

“The police need not refer to me. It’s their discretion and their assessment of what happened. There has been no malice on their part,” he told a press conference at Bukit Aman.

He said he was informed of the police decision on Friday to detain Tan, Raja Petra and Kok but did not interfere with it.

Tan was released yesterday afternoon.

Asked if he thought the police action was justified, Syed Hamid said: “If I start to interfere with the administration of enforcement then it’s difficult.”

“I am a minister. I am a politician. If I start to interfere, then people will say I have a political motive. It will send the wrong signals. I cannot interfere,” he said.

Syed Hamid said there was concern among the public who felt that the race issue might worsen and some people were even stocking up food.

“People may agree or disagree with the police position but they are in the best position to judge,” he said, denying that the ISA arrests had anything to do with the Sept 16 date set by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to take over the government.

He said Tan was the journalist who first reported on the racist comments by Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh by-election in which he said the Chinese were squatters in the country and not deserving of equal rights.

This caused a furore among the non-Malays and led to Umno suspending him for three years.

Syed Hamid said the police thought it was best to get first hand information from Tan and thus took her in under the ISA and released her a day later after they got the necessary information.

“I don’t think we are being unfair or mistreated her in any way,” he said when asked if Tan had posed a security threat in any way.

Asked why the police did not just ask Tan to come in for questioning instead of arresting her, Syed Hamid said it was always difficult when police had to deal with reporters.

On Raja Petra, he said the blogger had been given numerous warnings as well as been charged but he continued to create tension.

As for Kok, he said she had questioned the sensitive issues such as the azan (call for prayers for Muslims) and that could cause ill-will and disharmony.

On why Ahmad was not detained for making racist comments, he explained that Umno had already punished him by suspending him for three years and stripping him of his party posts.

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