M'SIAN HOME MINISTER: GOVT WILLING TO ACCEPT PROPOSALS ON ISA AMENDMENT

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government is willing to accept
proposals on the amendment to the Internal Security Act (ISA) to ensure peace
and security for the people and country.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the ministry was willing to accept
proposals as long as there was a balance between security, national interests
and civil rights.

He said any amendments to the ISA had to be done with care as the Act was
used to ensure national security for the sake of the people.

"The most important thing is to strike a balance because in implementing the
Act, the security aspect must be given priority.

"There is a need for adequate provisions to ensure that threats which affect
stability and peace can be crippled, what with the many challenges presently,"
he told a press conference after accepting a memorandum on the amendment to the
ISA by an association Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) at his office here
Tuesday.

The Perkasa memorandum proposed that an Internal Security Council be formed
to issue detention orders under Section 8(1) of the ISA.

As such, detention orders made by the minister or police would be considered
invalid without the council's approval.

"I will study the proposals. Perkasa must be commended for seeing me and
giving realistic proposals without emotion, without making it a polemic and a
nuisance to the public.

"The ministry is willing to accept proposals with an open heart. We welcome
this method as it is done for the future of the nation and race," he said.

On the amendment of the ISA scheduled in parliament in October,
Hishammuddin said it depended on the input and meetings with interested parties.

"I hope first reading can be done in October but it all depends on whether
we can meet all the interested parties before going to parliament. This is
because the Act must be ready for debate even during first reading," he said.

Other than the Internal Security Council, Perkasa also proposed that the
amendment includes expanding the ISA introduction to include Article 149 of the
Federal Constitution.

It called for action against those questioning the position of Islam as the
official religion of the federation, against those opposing the King and against
those questioning the position of the Malay language as the country's official
language.

Action should also be taken against those questioning the special rights of
the Malays and the peribumis (the natives) of the east Malaysian states of Sabah
and Sarawak, those who incite racial sentiments to create chaos and rioting and
those involved in corruption involving large amounts of money which could impact
the national economy.
--BERNAMA