The High Court today ordered that Raja Petra Kamarudin, editor of the popular news portal Malaysia Today, be released from detention after ruling that his arrest for allegedly causing racial tensions was unlawful.

High Court Justice Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad ruled that the Home Minister acted outside his powers in having Raja Petra arrested on Sept 12, said the blogger’s lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.

He quoted the judge as saying the grounds given for Raja Petra’s detention were insufficient and that his arrest under the Internal Security Act was unlawful.

The ISA allows the government to detain anyone for an initial two-year period without charges, and to extend the detention indefinitely.
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Popularity: 6% [?]

Technorati Tags: court order, internal security act, isa, malaysia today, raja petra

A prominent political blogger was jailed for two years under a strict security law that can keep him in prison indefinitely, a lawyer said today.

Online commentator Raja Petra Kamarudin, known for his anti-government views, was already in police custody and was served a detention order last night, said his lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.

Another of his lawyers, J. Chandra, confirmed that Raja Petra has been sent to Kamunting under Section 8(1) of the ISA which states that “if the Minister is satisfied that the detention of any person is necessary with a view to Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 5% [?]

Technorati Tags: detain, internal security act, isa, kamunting, raja petra

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the release of the Seputeh Member of Parliament, Teresa Kok, from detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) was decided entirely by the police without referring to him or requiring his approval.

He said he was in fact informed of the matter after Kok had been released, and believed that the release was made after police investigation revealed that the detention was no longer necessary.

“I don’t ask questions (to the police) because when it comes to police exercising their power, I let them do their work without any hassle.
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Popularity: 4% [?]

Technorati Tags: detain, internal security act, isa, release, teresa kok, utusan malaysia

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has pulled out of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and will become an independent party.

The decision was announced in a statement today following the party’s supreme council meeting in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah today.

The pullout comes three months after SAPP declared it had lost confidence in the leadership of the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, sparking speculation that it would join Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance.

Today’s decision deals a minor blow to BN’s parliamentary majority as there are two SAPP MPs under the coalition.
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Popularity: 4% [?]

Technorati Tags: barisan nasional, bn, internal security act, isa, sabah, sapp

De facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim is not out of the Cabinet just yet.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi rejected the letter of resignation Zaid sent in today, telling him instead to take a two-week break.

Sources told The Malaysian Insider that Zaid informed the PM that he felt compelled to quit the Cabinet on a matter of principle because he disagreed with the use of the Internal Security Act on journalist Tan Hong Cheng, DAP MP Teresa Kok and blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.

He felt that a minister or government official who is at odds with the policy or decision of the administration must offer his resignation.

Abdullah said issues and matters could be discussed and thrashed out in Cabinet.
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Popularity: 3% [?]

Technorati Tags: cabinet, internal security act, isa, minister, resignation, zaid ibrahim

Malaysian police yesterday released a journalist who was arrested under a tough security law, amid widespread anger, alarm and questions over the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng returned to her relative’s house in Taman Alma near here after a day in detention under the Internal Security Act and almost broke down in tears as she was warmly hugged by anxious family members and friends.

The 33-year-old, however, quickly regained her composure and spoke to her family members for 20 minutes before heading to stay at a friend’s house for the night.

Clad in a pale orange T-shirt and jeans, Hoon Cheng was dropped off at her home by four police officers including a policewoman in a four-wheel drive vehicle at 4pm yesterday.
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Popularity: 4% [?]

Technorati Tags: detain, internal security act, isa, release, sin chew daily, tan hoon cheng