POLICE INTELLIGENCE FINDS NO GROUNDS TO DETAIN JOURNALIST FURTHER - DEPUTY IGP

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- The police Monday explained that the release of Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng on Saturday, was made after police intelligence verified that there were no grounds to detain her further under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar in a statement here Monday
said that Section 73(1) of the ISA allowed the police with means, to
investigate and verify whether the intelligence received could be substantiated.

"In the case of the Sin Chew Daily reporter, she was released as soon
as the police had verified the intelligence and found no grounds to detain her
further," he added.

Ismail in his three-page statement said in recent weeks there had been
an escalation of racially insensitive, seditious and disparaging acts and
remarks by individuals and organisations, "bringing about a state of racial
and religious tension in the country".

"After closely assessing the situation, the police had no choice but to act
swiftly to prevent the situation from getting out of control," he added.

He said when police decided to invoke the ISA, the decision was based on
intelligence and observation that certain acts by the individuals concerned were
detrimental to calm, peace and harmony in the country.

These acts, if not curtailed, would cause public disorder and threaten
national security, stressed Ismail.

He said an arrest under ISA would only be made when police strongly
believed that certain acts by individuals could pose a serious threat to public
order and national security.

"When there are reasonable grounds, the police will act accordingly under
the provision of Section 73(1) of the ISA.

"But in the case of Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Teresa Kok, the police need
some time to investigate further on their alleged involvement in acts that can
be considered prejudicial to the security of the country.

"We have 60 days under the ISA to investigate, and as soon as we can
establish that we have no firm grounds to substantiate our belief that they pose
a threat to national security, we will release them.
"However, within the 60 days, if the police find that the belief is
substantiated, they will submit the case to the Home Minister with the
recommendation that the person be detained under the minister's order of
detention under Section 8(1) of the ISA," said Ismail.

He added that the police would conduct the investigation professionally
and expeditiously, as it would not be in the public interest for the police to
act otherwise.

"So the public are hereby advised not to take matters into their own hands
except in accordance with the law. Let the police work within the system and
laws of the country.

"Racial and religious unrest can be triggered over small matters and
escalate into situations that are damaging and irreversible.

"We cannot allow the May 13 1969, Kampung Medan and Kampung Rawa incidents
to repeat and destroy the country," he said, adding that police would take
pre-emptive measures in order to prevent situations from getting out of control.

Ismail also advised the public to allow the police to act within the
perimeters of the laws of this country, including the ISA, which is a swift
mechanism for an effective action.

He also assured that police would continuously monitor the situation and
would not hesitate to take action against those who continued to incite racial
and religious sentiments which could be detrimental to calm, peace and harmony
in the country.

"In the interest of the nation's peace and harmony, the police will act
without fear or favour. The police reiterate and affirm that at the moment, the
situation in this country is calm and under control," he said.