反对用24亿在定点设高速宽频 应确保国人都能以512 kb上网

(文自当今大马)

民主行动党国会领袖兼怡保东区国会议员林吉祥于2009年10月29日（星期四）在国会下议院辩论2010年度财政预算案时发表的演词（2）：

 

财政部长在预算案演词中说，为加强资讯通讯工艺，政府将加速拨款113亿令吉推行高速宽频服务，其中政府及马电讯分别拨出24亿及89亿令吉。到了明年3月杪，雪隆特选地点将设有10 megabit的宽频服务，上述服务将于2010年至2012年推广到全国的特选地点。

他跟著指出，大马的宽频覆盖率仅有25％，远远落後于韩国、新加坡、日本及美国。财政部长要如何解释其演词第39段与40段之间的矛盾？

简单的说，国阵政府是花24亿令吉及鼓励马电讯耗资89亿令吉给雪隆特选地点及在较後时推广到全国的特选地点。

当今政府津贴宽频政策，是要在乡区打造宽频绿洲。政府的财务政策持续有利于市区及现有的高所得群，目前为高所得群减税即可见一斑。

为了缩短数码距离及将绿洲带入大马的宽频沙漠，我建议将该24亿令吉改变用途，而以至少512 kbps的宽频速度，免费让国人使用。这24亿令吉拨款，马电讯应以1令吉对1令吉的比例付出。

这项建议並不新鲜，因为在2009年10月14日，芬兰就凭以下的宣佈震撼全球：

“交通及通讯部说，从明年7月起，芬兰每一个人将有权享有10 megabit的宽频上网。芬兰是世上首个立法保障宽频上网的国家。”

芬兰在较早时已经决定，到了2015年时，享有100 megabit宽频上网的法定权利。新的目标是芬兰的一项中途步骤。

CNN评说：“芬兰是世上互联网连接最普及的国家…但法律是志在将互联网带入乡区，在那些地区，地理上的挑战至今仍给上网带来限制。”

宽频覆盖率对宽频品质

宽频覆盖率，可以用作今天的识字率来作衡量，但世上的富国，已经从宽频覆盖率的衡量，转向宽频品质的衡量。

大马在13年前宣称，多媒体超级走廊（MSC）是“给予世界的一份礼物”，同时是我国进入资讯工艺时代，崛起为世上资讯工艺强国的中心。

自此，马来西亚在13年前宣称，多媒体超级走廊（MSC）是“给世界的一份礼物”，同时是带动国家进入资讯工艺时代，成为世界工艺资讯强国之一的策略性计划之精典。

然而，MSC及大马从此日益远离作为一个国际资讯工艺热点的世界圈子外，大马在过去10多年来，在资讯工艺国际竞争力上节节败退，2009年牛津/思科全球宽频品质表现，又再証实大马遭到另一轮的负面全球性调查结果。

这 项全球宽频品质调查，共调查66个国家的网络品质及广度，而把大马排名在53，我国的排名不如韩国、日本、瑞典、丹麦、美国是可以理解的，但我们竟然被土 耳其、智利、中国、卡达尔、巴西、阿根庭、沙地阿拉伯、塞埔鲁斯、哥斯达利加、巴林、泰国、突尼西亚、墨西哥、菲律宾及阿联酋抛在後头。

大马无法跻身入领先的3个宽频範围，即“为明天的准备”（以韩国及日本为首等9国）、“享用今天应用的舒适度”（16国）及“符合今天应用需求”（14国）
榜上的首3名内，而且落在“低于今日应用门槛”的最後範围（27国）内及排名17。

著重于高速网络的韩国及日本，继续在这第2次全球调查中高居榜首。

譬如，在韩国，政府承诺到了2012年时，其一般速度可以每秒1Gb。

在国际上，宽频品质已经从普及率，即谁有或谁没有使用宽频，进入宽频速度阶段，而大马仍滞留在前者的阶段。

在约6个月前，当拿督斯里莱士雅丁除了受委负责新闻、文化及艺术部门外，还负责资讯部门时，我曾提醒他，如果大马要提升国际竞争力，以在全球佔有一席之地，就应优先在宽频普及率及宽频速度上，将大马带入宽频世界。

我问，大马的平均宽频速度是多少，因为没有人谈到每秒2Mb，如果有每秒512或256kb的上网速而不半途中断，已算走运！

马来西亚是否拥有一个全国宽频品质政策？

为何在1996年率先推出MSC的马来西亚，会在这方面被其他国家抛在後头？

答案不在於资讯工艺，而是施政及政府领导，到底大马是否具政治意願全面整顿公共服务、就业及资讯通讯工艺政策，以吸引及留住最佳人才，给具平等考量的“绩效”带来真正的意义，这些是大马与全球其他国家竞争成为资讯工艺强国的先决条件。

国际互联网频带宽度对学术研究进步与商业极为重要

我曾在国会询问新闻、文化及艺术部长有关大马的国际互联网频带宽度能力时，所得到的答案引起更多的疑问。

我在此列出其中两项：

a. 　部长说，12条海底电缆提供大马的国际互联网频带宽度。然而，根据了解，最多只有10条海底电缆，包括还没装置的亚美通道(AAG)。在这10条之中， 有3条是跨国的，这意味著不是真正的国际化。这等於说，只有6条电缆可被视为进行国际交通。我请新闻、文化及艺术部长澄清及列出每一条电缆及其个别的能 力。
b.　部长在其书面答覆中指出，大马截至2009年6月的累积国际互联网频带宽度是112GB，在2008年时是64.1GB。然而，在同个时期，用户对TM Net的缓慢宽频速度之投诉却与日俱增。

＊　部长能否解释，为何投诉宽频速度的用户不断增加？

＊　TM是否将其国际互联网频带宽度超售给企业顾客、银行、政府或其他互联网服务提供公司？

＊　目前在大马的每名用户真正享有的国际互联网频带宽度？

国际互联网频带宽度能力目前仍在糟糕的程度。根据马新社在10月19日的报导，马澳商业理事会副主席迈克哈平告诉马新社说，澳洲公司非常担心大马的缓慢的互联网速度。

国际互联网频带宽度极为重要，在学术研究领域上，美国建立了其超快互联网2及ESnet，瑞士有SWITCH，而我们所知的互联网诞生地CERN有The Grid。这些超快网络是分享研究与学术工作数据的重要成份。

部长在回答时，表示有计划推出具有高速宽频能力的国际互联网频带宽度，同时也将增加国际频带宽度、当地满意度中心。这种方法也许会减低国际交通量，但90％以上的互联满意度仍在北美洲，是一个不可否定的事实。

此外，转移大量作学术、研究与商业用途的数据，仍有赖于高速互联网连接。

Happy Deepavali

Dear Malaysian Indian Friends,

Happy Deepavali to all of you !!!

May all the Malaysian continue to reform for a better Malaysia.

Thanks and regards.

大馬華人 應該看 (so true)

重注明这是转贴！

这是我在当今大马看到的一篇帖子~
个人看了后很有些赞同的感悟~
作者的网名叫dragonboy
如果有谁认识他~帮我谢谢他写了这么一篇好的文章~
也转达下我对于没经过作者同意就转贴他的文章感到抱歉~
谢谢！


我的家，在马来西亚，
我的人，住在前南非。

马来西亚( Malaysia )政府不停的责备挑剔的为难以色列( Israel )，
不断的向世人谴责以色列人欺压巴勒斯坦人，
甚至直到今天不准许马来西亚人民到以色列去。

但是，今天马来西亚马来政府切不断实行种族隔离政策。
当他们不断责难以色列时，真正目的是为了掩饰他们的边缘化政策。

几十年前，当我小的时候，父母亲从外国回来，Passport 放在桌子上。
我就很好奇的打开来看，就问爸爸，Passport这里面写的是什么？

爸爸告诉我说，我们马来西亚人民什么国家都可以去，
只是共产党国家和以色列及南非不准去，
因为共产党要控制我们的国家，所以我们不可以和他们来往及和好。

我就很好奇的跟爸爸说，那么说以色列和南非也是共产党。
爸爸对我说，南非和以色列不是共产党国家，
只是因为马来西亚政府不认同他们国家政策，
因为他们的政府尤其是南非，种族主义非常强，
种族隔离政策来对付黑人族群。

在南非，白人少数族群控制著大多数黑人族群，
白人住的地方，黑人不可住、
白人读书的学校，黑人不可读、
白人卖东西的地方，黑人不可买、
白人驾车撞到黑人，应该的，
但是黑人撞到白人，不跑的话，一 定被白人打到死，
不死的话，却被关起来、
白人做高官，黑人不可以、
白人说错话做错事，这是因为技术性问题、
但黑人说出不公平的事实的真相，切被警察关起来，
因为是黑人要挑拨种族冲突，制造种族仇恨，还有许多许多……?

我就继续问爸爸，为什么会这样?
因为这是他们白人的特权，几百年前所规定下来的特权，
不能改，不能变，黑人不可以提起，因为这是特权。

爸爸很自豪的又对我说，马来西亚是个民主国家，领袖们都是很正义，
所以不允许这样不公平的事情发生在二十世纪，
这种不人道的事绝对不应该发生在今日的世界。

我还记得很清楚，小小年纪的我，
第一次我觉得我是马来西亚人而感到无限的光荣。
我还立志，长大後要做军士来保护我所敬爱的马来西亚，
就好像黄明志所强调的，我爱我的国，有国才有家，有家才有我。

几年过後，我从华小进入了国中，简称马来学校。
在这6年的时间里，我开始体会和学会了什么叫著特权。
虽然90%的学生是华人，10%是马来人和印度人，
但在这里我被间接的引导或训练成一只很听话的狗，
土著之上的政策、马来人之上的政策。

6年在马来学校里，100%的政府奖学金或补助金都给了马来人，
难道就没有贫穷的华人和印度人吗?
在学校团体主席位必须留给土著或早已被校方安排好的土著人选。
没有马来人积极参与的团体很大的可能将不会被学校注重。

当时，大山脚有一间我们中学时代所羡慕的马来学校Science School,
在那里，有一流的设备和老师，
当时最让我们羡慕的是那里读书的马来人，
每一个月都有政府所给的零用钱。
还有每次我们跟他们比赛足球时，
他们一身都穿著最新的足球衣，我们切没有。
比赛后他们有冷气巴士在等侯，
我们却要搭脚车或等破旧不准时的Bus Mara回家。
>> 这叫土著特权，
>> 因为他们是马来人，他们必须被帮助坐BMW冷气巴士回家，
>> 而我们也没钱，
>> 必须自己想办法吃自己
>> 踏我的BMX回乡村Berapit的小家。
>>
>> 讲到足球，小时候看国家队比赛，很精采
>> 有华人苏金安，印度人Arumugum和马来人莫达，
>> 但现在看国家队比赛，全都是马来人，偶尔会有一个印度人。
>> 为什么土著之上政策後，华人和印度人变成都不会踢足球吗?
>> 为什么土著之上政策後，耗资近一亿马币上太空旅游的
>> 一定是马来人而不是非马来人。
>> 不是的!
>> 因为我们不可争，一切都已被安排好了，
>> 记得白人和黑人的故事吗!
> > 难怪马来西亚足球队现在变成是东南亚最爱吃鸡蛋的国家队。
>> 可悲!
>>
> > 还记得大学先修班时，
>> 班上有个半土著的人(父亲是华人，母亲是马来人)告诉我，
>> 为什么你要每天这么努力读书，不懂得享受人生。
>> 但是这个不努力也成绩不很好的半土著皮肤半黑的白人
>> 过后轻易进入大学，
>> 而我们这些拼命读书的黄皮肤的黑人有很多进入不了本地大学，
>> 因为别人的妈妈是土猪族的传人，
>> 我们的妈妈是龙的传人。
>> 这就是土族特权而不是龙族特权的时代。
>>
>> 现在的教育制度更可怕，偷学邓小平的一国两制。
>> 这些教育官僚怕被外国人取笑，
>> 因为以前马来人考输华人也可进大学，华人切不可以进大学，
>> 这样做的话有点说不过去。
>> 所以这些官员也学会怎样掩饰土著，
>> 想出了在中学或高中的时候把土著和非土著隔离，
>> 然後考不一样的考试，再加入了课外活动的积分制，
>> 顺理成章的把大部份土著送进大学。
> >
>> 3/12/07世界银行指出，
>> 大马高等学府通过不同 管道包括大学预科班、
>> 大马高级学校文凭、大学基础课程来录取学生、
>> 造成人民质疑政府是否落实绩效制。
> >
>> 原始人制度
> >
>> 这种制度我称为原始人制度，
>> 因为在原始人时代只要那些能跑能打的人就是天下无敌，
>> 而那些有创意和智商的人必须听从能跑能打的人。
>> 就好像假如今天大学有一个医学位，
>> 有一个华人每科科学都考得全国最好，
>> 但是课外活动只属于一般。
>> 而一个马来人科学每科都考得算好，但是不算最好，可是课外活动一流。在原始人制度
>>
>> 下谁会被选进入就读呢?
> > 答案是课外活动一流的马来同胞选为医生，
>> 因为他比较能跑能跳而不是拥有专业的知识。
>> 这就是为什么今天很多国家不再承认我国的医学位了。
>>
>> 事实上，原始人制度这些年来出现了太多问题。
>> 有许许多多的原始人 半专业人士如马来律师、会计师和工程师无法和非马来人专业人
>>
>> 士竞争。
>> 所以一些原始人制度下受惠的马来官员又想出更妙的方法，
>> 把企业固打原始化，回到古老的原始人方式按人头来分配财富和工作，
>> 而不是按能力来分配工作。
>> 如所有要和Maybank来往的商人必须要用原始人律师而不是专业律师、
>> 所有上市公司或将上市的公司必须按土著和非土著比例来聘请员工。
>> 这是一个极危险性的动作，直接把国家竞争能力减到最低，
>> 而快速的把土著30%经济蛋糕在十到十五年之间快速转移达到70%，
>> 从非马来人手中用合法性夺取所有的资金和国家资源。
>>
>> 这些官员实在历害，
>> 把新经济政策的30%变成按土著和非土著比例70/30的政策，
>> 这说明了他们的胃口已经不按部就班的变大许多，
>> 让有钱的小拿破仑土著更 有钱，然後来控制非土著和大部份的贫穷土著。
>>
>> 过去，我们的许多朋友高中毕业後都跑到新加坡去了，
>> 因为那里的政府爱惜人才，把国家辛辛苦苦栽培十多年的人才都拿去了。
>> 但是自从我们爱拔短剑的教育部长从中国回来後也学会这一招，
>> 开始承认独中生，所有华文好的独中生都被政府接受成为老师，
>> 但是条件就是这些独中生只可以到马来学校教马来人华语而不是到缺少千千万万华文老
>>
>> 师的华小教书。
>> 还有更可怕的是现在马来西亚也开始承认中国大学华文系，
>> 因为这些从北京大学回来的大学生都必须到马来学校教书而非华小。
>> 到时马来小学生学的是纯正中国北京中文系华语，
>> 而华小学生学的是像我这样的Kampung乡村华语，
>> 因为上梁不正下梁歪。
>> 我想告诉马华的领袖，你们的良心在那里，
>> 你想骗华社骗到几时，难道这就是你们争取给华社的功劳。
>>
>> 每一年华社捐给独中的钱多过你们马华捐给华小的钱，
>> 现在你们马华却要反回来做巫统的走狗，
>> 把一流的独中生调到马来学校去，
>> 把华社多年养大的母鸡送给土著。
>> 我更看不过眼的事你们马华眼睁睁的看著马来官员
>> 把一大堆不懂华语而能力很差马来学校都不要的老师调到华小来，
>> 让他们教我们天真无邪的孩子。
> >
>> 黄明志事件
>> 你们只会叫明志道歉，更惨的是民政有些领袖还说明志的不是。
>> 明志道歉过後情况更惨，被5名马来部长每天不断的攻击，又喊又杀！
>> 好像明志犯了偷天大罪。
>> 现在这5名马来部长突然间静了下来，给人的感觉以为他们很大方，
>> 不再追究。
>> 事实上，他们再追究下去的话，天下最大的笑话将会在马来西亚发 生，
>> 原来我们的国歌是改编印尼的情歌Terang Bulan。
>> 这次真的是Malaysia Boleh!
>>
>> 为什么马华现在没有叫5个马来部长向明志道歉呢！
>> 你们可以改编，他就是不可以，这话到底要怎么讲。
>> 我再一次只能说：Malaysia Boleh！大马能！
> >
>> 马华的领袖，尤其是那个大小通吃的刘一端，你们玩够了没有。
>> 以前你们告诉华社，叫我们在大选支持你们给你们机会。
>> 所以上一次大选，所有华社都支持你们，
>> 你们在槟州以及全国各地都取得辉煌的成绩，
>> 但你们给了华社些什么?为什么你们对马六甲华人赶尽杀绝。
> >
>> 为什么小小的前武拉必州议员如刘一端，
>> 以前只是普通的MPSP政府人，在椰树下和我们一起长大，
>> 为什么现在在短短的时间里，可以住进数以百万的屋子。
>>
>> 各位武拉必的华人，
>> 大山脚的华人，
>> 槟城的华人，
>> 全世界几百万到外国工作和已经移居到国外的马来西亚
>> 和新加坡的华人，
>> 我们已经被马华领袖玩够了，
>> 他们是大汉奸，多年来出卖民族的大走狗，
>> 我们不可再靠马华，因为50年前，马华的意 思是代表马来西亚的华人，
>> 但是50年後，马华的意思是代表马来人的化身。
>> 让我们自己来改写华人历史，跟他们讲No的时候。
>>
>> 因此今天华社必须重新整合，
>> 唤醒所有黑眼睛，黑头发黄皮肤龙的传人。
>> 不要小看
应该不只是马华吧！而是所有华人的团体！！！
民联党，行动党 都一样！！！
我们华人应该要擦亮我们眼睛，是时候醒醒了！！！

Dr M's selective amnesia on the ISA

(Cited from Malaysiakini)


Throughout his autocratic reign, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad displayed contempt for the rule of law.

Some say he was ignorant of this principle of democratic governance, confounding it with "rule by law".

His frontal assault on the Malaysian judiciary in 1988 was an embarrassment for the nation so much so that his successor had to atone for this injury to "national security" 20 years later.

In his recent blog on the justification for ISA, Mahathir further demonstrates his failure to appreciate the rule of law with this give-away: "Courts take a long time to pass judgment."

He tries in vain to justify his use of this "Insidious Suppression Apparatus" (ISA) especially during Operation Lalang.

He claims that he was trying to save the nation from a catastrophic clash because Umno was threatening to hold a million-strong demonstration, that leaders of both sides of the political divide were detained and "as soon as that threat passed, the detainees were released..."

As a human rights watcher since the 1960s and a victim of Operation Lalang myself, allow me to expose some gross misrepresentation of the facts by the former premier:

'White terror' unleashed

Fact 1: What did Umno want to demonstrate against to warrant a million-strong force?

As I told my Special Branch interrogators, the freedom of assembly extends as far as the police are capable of handling the demonstration in question.

From what Mahathir has said, it seems clear that Umno (and he was the Umno chief) was bent on creating terror.

In fact, on the day the Chinese associations were holding their assembly at the Tian Hou Temple in October 1987 to protest the appointment of non-Mandarin educated administrators to Chinese schools, I was busy papering over the glass windows of my office at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in preparation of this threatening demonstration by Umno.

The million-strong Umno demonstration did not happen because it had been orchestrated, just as May 13, 1969 was orchestrated.

We had a glimpse of what Umno was capable of doing when a few hundred Umno Youth members demonstrated outside the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall over the Suqiu issue on Aug 18, 2000 and threatened to burn down the assembly hall.

On Oct 27, 1987, Operation Lalang was unleashed to create this "white terror" and it did the job to allow Mahathir to launch his assault on the judiciary and to solve the Umno dilemma posed by the challenge of Team B in Umno.Chopped logic in ISA

Fact 2: Why was I and many others detained under Operation Lalang?

Mahathir claims the ISA is a preventive law "to be applied before a crime is committed."

That was why people like me, Prof Chandra Muzaffar, Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, Nasir Hashim and a hundred or more others were detained?
No, from the interrogation by the special branch, I was detained to punish me for writing all those provocative articles in the newspapers during the 80s and writing the book on 'The Root Causes of Racial Polarisation in Malaysia'.

"Okay, I told my special branch tormentors, If you say my book was a threat to national security, then ban it! You can't say the book is fine but then arrest me for being a threat to national security!"

I pointed out that Mahathir's Malay Dilemma was banned because it was considered unsavoury to the Tunku's administration but it wasn't banned.
Do you see the chop logic of the ISA justifications?

Clearly, from talking to the other detainees during Operation Lalang, the ISA was used to punish us all for not falling in line with the Barisan Nasional.

In fact, part of the so-called 'rehabilitation' by the special branch was to encourage me to emigrate and stop being a thorn in the side of the Mahathir regime.

So much for 1Malaysia and trying to attract Malaysians back to our country.

Fact 3: Why were no BN leaders sent to the Kamunting Detention Camp?

Selective amnesia

Mahathir appears to be suffering from the common complaint among the ruling elite - selective amnesia. He said, "As soon as the threat passed, the detainees were released."

How can we expect young Malaysians to take an interest in history and human rights if a former prime minister tells such blatant untruths?

During my 60 days of solitary confinement, that was the line I took with my special branch tormentors: "Okay, assuming you are right about detaining us...Now that the so-called crisis is over, shouldn't we be released?"

I expected to be released after the 60 days of solitary confinement but the only people released included all the BN who had been taken in.

The rest of us who were being punished for being dissidents were sent on two-year orders to Kamunting.

There was not a single BN leader sent to Kamunting even though the MCA and Gerakan supported the Chinese associations over the Chinese schools issue.

Clearly, one is considered a threat to national security only if one is opposed to the BN.

Then again, there is a difference in treatment meted out to detainees from the BN and the rest of us.

I happened to be in the next cell to a datuk from the BN and I could hear his high spirits every time he was brought back from "questioning".

Clearly, while the rest of us were subjected to harrowing questioning and some, even horrendous torture, these BN detainees were being taken out and feted.
Torture one, feed the other
Fact 4: Torture under the ISA has been going on for years, including under Operation Lalang.

Mahathir chides the US for torturing their detainees. Does he not know that the Malaysian police have been torturing detainees for years?

One only needs to look at the statutory declarations by Munawar Anees and others detained in the last 10 years on the internet to see the depravity of our state torturers.

One of the earliest documents I have seen is this excerpt from a statement by "political prisoners of Kawasan A, B, and C" dated May 1, 1969, Batu Gajah Detention Camp:

"1. We political detainees have undergone days and nights of endless interrogation which have inflicted grave toll on the mental condition of many detainees;

2. During interrogation, we have been handcuffed, had our abdominal parts kicked, our heads bashed against the wall until they bled, and some have had to be hospitalised;

3. We have had needles stuck in our fingernails and pencils used to squeeze our fingers between them;

4. We have been burnt with cigarette lighters and hit with elastic bands; some have had nails inserted into their genitals;

5. We have been asked to strip off our pants and to sit on open bottles;

6. We have been made to take off our clothing and to stand before fans and air conditioners until we have passed out;

7. The Banishment Law has been invoked to force political detainees out of the country, while those who do not accept banishment are kept on long-term detentions.

Some at the Seremban Detention Camp have already been detained for between 10 to 20 years already;
8. We political prisoners here have been detained for between four to eight years without trial;

9. The riot squad has been mobilised to storm our detention camp in order to force those who have refused to wear handcuffs when they leave the camp to do so. In the process, there has been bloodshed;

10. Health and medical services are very poor in the camp. Those who leave for hospital treatment are forced to be handcuffed. After nine o'clock, we are forced into hot and stuffy cells..."

On Mahathir's own watch during the Operation Lalang he unleashed, and this is the affidavit of Yeshua Jamaluddin, who was detained for being a Malay Christian convert.

Yeshua's affidavit

One might pose this question to our former premier. How was Yeshua a threat to national security during that particular moment in time?

His affidavit at his habeas corpus hearing in October 1988 is surely comparable to what was inflicted on the Guantanamo detainees:

"I was not allowed to sleep for days at a stretch and was warned that I would not get any food if I did not cooperate.
One Inspector Yusoff also threatened to disturb my girlfriend if I did not give any information. I was assaulted by Inspectors Yusoff, Zainuddin, Ayub and another officer on a number of occasions.
On one occasion I was knocked to the ground and injured my back. Since then, I have been passing blood in my urine and have been suffering from pains in my lower back constantly...

On another occasion during interrogation, Inspector Yusoff forced me to strip naked and to enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Inspector Yusoff also forced me to crawl on the floor in a naked state...
A police constable forced me to stand on one leg with both my arms outstretched holding my slippers. He made me remain in this position for two hours. He then called in a woman constable and her young daughter and asked them to look at me saying: "This Malay is not aware of who he is. He changed his religion. He has no shame!" (Kua, K.S., "445 Days Behind the Wire",1999: 194)

Is there any wonder the Malaysian government has still not ratified the Convention against Torture?

If Mahathir is so incensed about the US torturing detainees, why didn't he ratify the Convention against Torture during his watch?
Terror, tool of the ruling class

Fact 5: The ISA has been a convenient tool to be used by the ruling BN coalition against detractors

The primary function of the ISA is to terrorise Malaysians. We have all grown up in the terrorising shadow of the ISA - the solitary confinement, the torture with impunity, the renewable years of detention.

When I was sent to Kamunting detention camp on Dec 27, 1987, my roommate was Loh Ming Liang - he had been detained for 16 years.
Such deterrence is part of the terrorising intent of the ISA.

The ISA is clearly a blatant abuse of human rights and has no place in a society that claims to be morally and spiritually upright.
KUA KIA SOONG is the director of human rights movement Suaram. He was detained under ISA in 1987 and wrote about his experience in '445 Days Behind the Wire'.