Lawyer cum blogger Malik Imtiaz is concerned about the detention of Nathaniel Tan, who is remanded for 4 days under Section 8 of the Official Secret Act (OSA) over allegations of possession of documents pertaining to Johari’s alleged involvement in corruption.
"The OSA is unconstitutional. It violates a range of fundamental liberties guaranteed by the Federal Constitution," he said.
Seen from the perspective of allowing arbitrary government, the OSA violates the equal protection and equal access to the law guarantees as well as undermining the fair and free elections underpinnings of our system of government.
The OSA in its current form allows for a government to administer this country covertly and in defiance of the accountability and transparency that is crucial to democratic process. This impacts on all our lives in more ways that we can begin to understand as the government is given a means to thwart legitimate public interest by the forced suppression of material and relevant information. The position taken by the government in connection with the disclosure of toll concession agreements illustrates this worrying trend.
The OSA as it is also violates international human rights norms and runs counter to representations made by our government at the international level about the state of play in this country where civil and political rights are concerned. Malaysia is a current member of the United Nations Human Rights Council. It must act in a manner consistent with its membership.
Malik is not the only one who is really concerned.
"Today OSA. Tomorrow?" blogger Nuraina A Samad asked.
That’s not about it. Even the usually not-so-serious blogger Amir Hafizi put up a very serious tone too.
If it IS true and the facts could damage the country, THEN the powers that be would have grounds to arrest Nat under the OSA.
This, my friends, is how justice is carried out in Malaysia. And if you have a problem with that, you can GETTT OUTTT!!!
Up to this extent, it’s not about the detention of Nathaniel Tan anymore. It’s about the liberty of you and me to write the truth and simultaneously being damned too.
Like it or not, you’ve got to it a thought. Think about it, seriously.
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Yeah… it’s a violation of this and that… we can scream and cry and … light candles… but i dont think it’s gonna do any good. i know i am being negative… cant help it.