ID :
73326
Sat, 08/01/2009 - 18:58
Auther :

GIVE SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE I.S.A., NOT DEMONSTRATE, SAYS PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak said Friday the
people should come up with suggestions and views to improve the Internal
Security Act (ISA) instead of resorting to demonstrations in support of or
against that law.

He said the proposal to review the ISA should not be politicised because the
important thing was to formulate a law which was suitable to the times and in
accordance with the aspirations of the people.

"The government has decided to review the ISA and it is important for the
people to give their suggestions and ideas on how to improve that law. Why
demonstrate?" he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the United Malays
National Organisation (Umno) Supreme Council, here.

Najib, who is also Umno president, said demonstrations would be unable to
illustrate those matters which had to be considered by the government, and added
that the ISA-linked gatherings scheduled for Saturday were purposely planned to
fulfill the political interests of certain quarters. Umno is the party
leading the ruling
National Front (BN)

Gabungan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI), which wants the ISA abolished, and the Majlis
Permuafakatan Ummah (Perwaris) as well as the Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa
Malaysia (Perkasa), which want the ISA to be retained, have announced they would
hold gatherings in Kuala Lumpur Saturday to express their views on the matter.

GMI has asked the people attending its "100,000 People's Gathering" to meet
at several locations in the city before marching to the National Palace to hand
over a memorandum to the Malaysian King calling for the abolition of the ISA.

Police have set up roadblocks along several roads leading to the city to
restrict supporters of the two groups from proceeding with their gatherings, for
which no permits have been issued.
-- BERNAMA

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