Salleh: Prevention acts today democratic, unlike ISA back then

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak today took a swipe at the country's former administration, claiming that prevention acts then were used to retain power.
The Communications and Multimedia Minister said while critics have accused the introduction of several new prevention acts in the Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak-era as undemocratic, these measures were only meant to maintain the country's peace and security.
Salleh said this is unlike when the Internal Security Act (ISA) was used.
Although no names were mentioned, he was likely referring to the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-government.
Salleh cited several instances when the controversial ISA was used during Mahathir's stint as Prime Minister, including in the 1985 Memali tragedy, the 1987 detention of opposition members and activists under Ops Lalang, and the arrest of Mahathir's former right-hand man Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.
"The difference is prevention acts were previously used to maintain the government's power, but now, these acts are used to maintain the safety and security of the country," he said in a blog post today.
Salleh said claims that the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Prevention of Terrorism Act 2016 (Pota) and the National Security Council Act (NSC) are undemocratic are mere twisting of facts.
"They are prevention acts that fulfill the provisions under Article 149 of the Federal Constitution and are meant for the security of the rakyat and nation," he said.
Salleh also pointed out that Sosma, for instance, practises the principle of "innocent until proven guilty" and that cases could be challenged in court, unlike ISA, which allows someone to be detained without trial.
"The question is, is our former leader who arrested his political enemies then under ISA democratic, while the current government which repealed the act considered undemocratic?
"We have to be fair in judging this matter," he said.