Jenice Lee 李映霞

Selangor: DAPSY Deputy Chief cum Selangor State Assemblywomen for Teratai Jenice Lee Ying Ha welcomed Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s announcements on the eve of Malaysia Day. However, she hopes that Prime Minister is sincere in promoting democracy and freedom in Malaysia.

Jenice Lee, also the publicity secretary of DAP Selangor, said the Prime Minister who is under pressure from opposition parties and the society, was finally accepted the demands of Rakyat by repealing the Internal Security Act (ISA) and three states of emergency, do away with the annual renewal printing and publishing permits, and also to review the provisions of section 27 of Police Act in order to comply with Article 10 of the Federal Constitution which granted the public’s right to freedom of assembly.

Meanwhile, Jenice Lee pointed out that Emergency Ordinance will still exists even though the Internal Security Act is to be repealed. Public should not forget the incidence of Party Socialist Malaysia (PSM) leaders including Member of Parliament Sungai Siput, Dr. Jayakumar, who had been detained under the Emergency Ordinance 1969 without trial in court recently. The Emergency Ordinance is having similar provisions to Internal Security Act which provides detention without trial. Prime Minister’s declaration is only mentioned abolishment of Internal Security Act but not the Emergency Ordinance. Therefore, there is a possibility that an individual can be detained without trial as political prisoner.

She also viewed that if the Prime Minister desires to revise the Police Act to comply with the Federal Constitution’s article in freedom of assembly; peaceful street demonstration should be allowed by the government. Otherwise, the amendment will be meaningless.

On the other hand, Jenice Lee added that the ruling party in the country still holds the absolute power to cancel the publishing permit although press media need not renew their newspaper publishing permit annually.

“All amendments and abolishment of the Acts are required to be debated and voted in Parliament instead of a unilateral oral declaration by the Prime Minister, I hope that these announcements are not baits given before the general election, and end up with nothing thereafter.”