By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian authorities arrested three persons under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows the government to hold them indefinitely without a trial.

All three were accused of inflaming racial and religious tensions. The three persons included Teresa Kok, a member of Parliament; Tan Hoon Cheng, a journalist; and Raja Petra Kamaruddin, a prominent blogger.

There have been several accusations that the arrests are an attempt to keep the present government in power. The opposition has threatened to bring down the present government by persuading parliamentarians to defect. Last March, the opposition received historic levels of support in a general election. With the election, the government’s ability to change the constitution was removed. .

In response to the arrests, a senior opposition politician Lim Guan Eng said, “The government must be deluded if they think that they can break us because we will not be broken, we will not be bent.”

There have been several protests since the ISA arrests, but police have broken up several demonstrations. However, 400 persons were able to hold a vigil near the capital for Teresa Kok. Protestors lit candles and prayed for the jailed Parliament member. Many shouted, “Free Teresa” and “Abolish the ISA.” A protestor at the vigil said, “I think they are panicking for whatever they are doing now, they are running out of options, and they are trying whatever way that they can to maintain their power.”

Opposition members fear a repeat of the arrests of 1987, where almost 120 activists, politicians, and journalists were charged under the ISA after the then Prime Minster Mahathir Mohamad blamed the media for playing up racial issues.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Malaysian Arrests Draw Protests – 13 September 2008

Reuters – Malaysia’s Anwar Hits Out at Political Arrests – 13 September 2008

Reporters Without Borders – Use of Internal Security Law is Serious Press Violation, Interior Minister Told – 16 September 2008