The Power of Peace and Unity

US President Barack Obama’s Nov. 10 Speech at the University of Indonesia | November 10, 2010

Let me begin with a simple statement: Indonesia is a part of me. I first came to this country when my mother married an Indonesian man named Lolo Soetoro. As a young boy, I was coming to a different world. But the people of Indonesia quickly made me feel at home.

Jakarta looked very different in those days. The city was filled with buildings that were no more than a few stories tall. The Hotel Indonesia was one of the few high-rises, and there was just one brand new shopping center called Sarinah. Becaks outnumbered automobiles in those days, and the highway quickly gave way to unpaved roads and kampungs.

We moved to Menteng Dalam, where we lived in a small house with a mango tree out front. I learned to love Indonesia while flying kites, running along paddy fields, catching dragonflies, and buying satay and bakso from the street vendors. Most of all, I remember the people — the old men and women who welcomed us with smiles, the children who made a foreigner feel like a neighbor, and the teachers who helped me learn about the wider world.

Because Indonesia is made up of thousands of islands, hundreds of languages and people from scores of regions and ethnic groups, my times here helped me appreciate the common humanity of all people. And while my stepfather, like most Indonesians, was raised a Muslim, he firmly believed that all religions were worthy of respect. In this way, he reflected the spirit of religious tolerance that is enshrined in Indonesia’s Constitution, and that remains one of this country’s defining and inspiring characteristics.

I stayed here for four years — a time that helped shape my childhood, a time that saw the birth of my wonderful sister, Maya, and a time that made such an impression on my mother that she kept returning to Indonesia over the next 20 years to live, work and travel — pursuing her passion of promoting opportunity in Indonesia’s villages, particularly for women and girls. For her entire life, my mother held this place and its people close to her heart.

So much has changed in the four decades since I boarded a plane to move back to Hawaii. If you asked me — or any of my schoolmates who knew me back then — I don’t think any of us could have anticipated that I would one day come back to Jakarta as president of the United States. And few could have anticipated the remarkable story of Indonesia over these last four decades.

The Jakarta that I once knew has grown to a teeming city of nearly 10 million, with skyscrapers that dwarf the Hotel Indonesia, and thriving centers of culture and commerce. While my Indonesian friends and I used to run in fields with water buffalo and goats, a new generation of Indonesians is among the most wired in the world — connected through cellphones and social networks. And while Indonesia as a young nation focused inward, a growing Indonesia now plays a key role in the Asia Pacific and the global economy.

This change extends to politics. When my step-father was a boy, he watched his own father and older brother leave home to fight and die in the struggle for Indonesian independence. I’m happy to be here on Heroes Day to honor the memory of so many Indonesians who have sacrificed on behalf of this great country.

When I moved to Jakarta, it was 1967, a time that followed great suffering and conflict in parts of this country. Even though my step-father had served in the Army, the violence and killing during that time of political upheaval was largely unknown to me because it was unspoken by my Indonesian family and friends. In my household, like so many others across Indonesia, it was an invisible presence. Indonesians had their independence, but fear was not far away.

In the years since then, Indonesia has charted its own course through an extraordinary democratic transformation — from the rule of an iron fist to the rule of the people. In recent years, the world has watched with hope and admiration, as Indonesians embraced the peaceful transfer of power and the direct election of leaders. And just as your democracy is symbolized by your elected president and legislature, your democracy is sustained and fortified by its checks and balances: a dynamic civil society, political parties and unions, a vibrant media and engaged citizens who have ensured that in Indonesia there will be no turning back.

But even as this land of my youth has changed in so many ways, those things that I learned to love about Indonesia — that spirit of tolerance that is written into your Constitution, symbolized in your mosques and churches and temples and embodied in your people — still lives on. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika — unity in diversity. This is the foundation of Indonesia’s example to the world, and this is why Indonesia will play such an important role in the 21st century.

So today, I return to Indonesia as a friend, but also as a president who seeks a deep and enduring partnership between our two countries. Because as vast and diverse countries, as neighbors on either side of the Pacific and above all as democracies, the United States and Indonesia are bound together by shared interests and shared values.

Yesterday, President Yudhoyono and I announced a new Comprehensive Partnership between the United States and Indonesia. We are increasing ties between our governments in many different areas, and — just as importantly — we are increasing ties among our people. This is a partnership of equals, grounded in mutual interests and mutual respect.

With the rest of my time today, I’d like to talk about why the story I just told — the story of Indonesia since the days when I lived here — is so important to the United States, and to the world. I will focus on three areas that are closely related, and fundamental to human progress — development, democracy and religion.

Development

First, the friendship between the United States and Indonesia can advance our mutual interest in development.

When I moved to Indonesia, it would have been hard to imagine a future in which the prosperity of families in Chicago and Jakarta would be connected. But our economies are now global, and Indonesians have experienced both the promise and perils of globalization — from the shock of the Asian financial crisis in the 1990s to the millions lifted out of poverty. What that means — and what we learned in the recent economic crisis — is that we have a stake in each other’s success.

America has a stake in an Indonesia that is growing, with prosperity that is broadly shared among the Indonesian people — because a rising middle class here means new markets for our goods, as America is a market for yours. And so we are investing more in Indonesia, our exports have grown by nearly 50 percent, and we are opening doors for Americans and Indonesians to do business with one another.

America has a stake in an Indonesia that plays its rightful role in shaping the global economy. Gone are the days when seven or eight countries could come together to determine the direction of global markets. That is why the G-20 is now the center of international economic cooperation, so that emerging economies like Indonesia have a greater voice and bear greater responsibility. And through its leadership of the G-20’s anticorruption group, Indonesia should lead on the world stage and by example in embracing transparency and accountability.

America has a stake in an Indonesia that pursues sustainable development, because the way we grow will determine the quality of our lives and the health of our planet. That is why we are developing clean energy technologies that can power industry and preserve Indonesia’s precious natural resources — and America welcomes your country’s strong leadership in the global effort to combat climate change.

Above all, America has a stake in the success of the Indonesian people. Underneath the headlines of the day, we must build bridges between our peoples, because our future security and prosperity is shared. That is exactly what we are doing — by increased collaboration among our scientists and researchers, and by working together to foster entrepreneurship. And I am especially pleased that we have committed to double the number of American and Indonesian students studying in our respective countries — we want more Indonesian students in our schools, and more American students to come study in this country, so that we can forge new ties that last well into this young century.

These are the issues that really matter in our daily lives. Development, after all, is not simply about growth rates and numbers on a balance sheet. It’s about whether a child can learn the skills they need to make it in a changing world. It’s about whether a good idea is allowed to grow into a business, and not be suffocated by corruption. It’s about whether those forces that have transformed the Jakarta that I once knew —technology and trade and the flow of people and goods — translate into a better life for human beings, a life marked by dignity and opportunity. This kind of development is inseparable from the role of democracy.

Democracy

Today we sometimes hear that democracy stands in the way of economic progress. This is not a new argument. Particularly in times of change and economic uncertainty, some will say that it is easier to take a shortcut to development by trading away the rights of human beings for the power of the state. But that is not what I saw on my trip to India, and that is not what I see in Indonesia. Your achievements demonstrate that democracy and development reinforce one another.

Like any democracy, you have known setbacks along the way. America is no different. Our own constitution spoke of the effort to forge a “more perfect union,” and that is a journey we have traveled ever since, enduring civil war and struggles to extend rights to all our citizens. But it is precisely this effort that has allowed us to become stronger and more prosperous, while also becoming a more just and free society.

Like other countries that emerged from colonial rule in the last century, Indonesia struggled and sacrificed for the right to determine your destiny. That is what Heroes Day is all about — an Indonesia that belongs to Indonesians. But you also ultimately decided that freedom cannot mean replacing the strong hand of a colonizer with a strongman of your own.

Of course, democracy is messy. Not everyone likes the results of every election. You go through ups and downs. But the journey is worthwhile, and it goes beyond casting a ballot. It takes strong institutions to check the concentration of power. It takes open markets that allow individuals to thrive. It takes a free press and an independent justice system to root out abuse and excess, and to insist upon accountability. It takes open society and active citizens to reject inequality and injustice.

These are the forces that will propel Indonesia forward. And it will require a refusal to tolerate the corruption that stands in the way of opportunity, a commitment to transparency that gives every Indonesian a stake in their government, and a belief that the freedom that Indonesians have fought for is what holds this great nation together.

That is the message of the Indonesians who have advanced this democratic story — from those who fought in the Battle of Surabaya 55 years ago today to the students who marched peacefully for democracy in the 1990s, to leaders who have embraced the peaceful transition of power in this young century. Because ultimately, it will be the rights of citizens that will stitch together this remarkable nusantara that stretches from Sabang to Merauke — an insistence that every child born in this country should be treated equally, whether they come from Java or Aceh, Bali or Papua.

That effort extends to the example that Indonesia sets abroad. Indonesia took the initiative to establish the Bali Democracy Forum, an open forum for countries to share their experiences and best practices in fostering democracy. Indonesia has also been at the forefront of pushing for more attention to human rights within Asean The nations of Southeast Asia must have the right to determine their own destiny, and the United States will strongly support that right. But the people of Southeast Asia must have the right to determine their own destiny as well. That is why we condemned elections in Burma that were neither free nor fair. That is why we are supporting your vibrant civil society in working with counterparts across this region. Because there is no reason why respect for human rights should stop at the border of any country.

Hand in hand, that is what development and democracy are about — the notion that certain values are universal. Prosperity without freedom is just another form of poverty. Because there are aspirations that human beings share — the liberty of knowing that your leader is accountable to you, and that you won’t be locked up for disagreeing with them; the opportunity to get an education and to work with dignity; the freedom to practice your faith without fear or restriction.

Religion

Religion is the final topic I want to address today, and — like democracy and development — it is fundamental to the Indonesian story. Like the other Asian nations I am visiting on this trip, Indonesia is steeped in spirituality, a place where people worship God in many different ways. Along with this rich diversity, it is also home to the world’s largest Muslim population, a truth that I came to know as a boy when I heard the call to prayer across Jakarta.

Just as individuals are not defined solely by their faith, Indonesia is defined by more than its Muslim population. But we also know that relations between the United States and Muslim communities have frayed over many years. As president, I have made it a priority to begin to repair these relations. As a part of that effort, I went to Cairo last June, and called for a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one that creates a path for us to move beyond our differences.

I said then, and I will repeat now, that no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust. But I believed then, and I believe today, that we do have a choice. We can choose to be defined by our differences, and give in to a future of suspicion and mistrust. Or we can choose to do the hard work of forging common ground, and commit ourselves to the steady pursuit of progress. And I can promise you: No matter what setbacks may come, the United States is committed to human progress. That is who we are. That is what we have done. That is what we will do.

We know well the issues that have caused tensions for many years, issues that I addressed in Cairo. In the 17 months that have passed we have made some progress, but much more work remains to be done.

Innocent civilians in America, Indonesia and across the world are still targeted by violent extremists. I have made it clear that America is not, and never will be, at war with Islam. Instead, all of us must defeat Al Qaeda and its affiliates, who have no claim to be leaders of any religion — certainly not a great, world religion like Islam. But those who want to build must not cede ground to terrorists who seek to destroy. This is not a task for America alone. Indeed, here in Indonesia, you have made progress in rooting out terrorists and combating violent extremism.

In Afghanistan, we continue to work with a coalition of nations to build the capacity of the Afghan government to secure its future. Our shared interest is in building peace in a war-torn land — a peace that provides no safe-haven for violent extremists, and that provides hope for the Afghan people. Meanwhile, we have made progress on one of our core commitments, our effort to end the war in Iraq. One hundred thousand American troops have left Iraq. Iraqis have taken full responsibility for their security. And we will continue to support Iraq as it forms an inclusive government and we bring all of our troops home.

In the Middle East, we have faced false starts and setbacks, but we have been persistent in our pursuit of peace. Israelis and Palestinians restarted direct talks, but enormous obstacles remain. There should be no illusions that peace and security will come easy. But let there be no doubt. We will spare no effort in working for the outcome that is just, and that is in the interest of all the parties involved: two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

The stakes are high in resolving these issues, and the others I have spoken about today. For our world has grown smaller and while those forces that connect us have unleashed opportunity, they also empower those who seek to derail progress. One bomb in a marketplace can obliterate the bustle of daily commerce. One whispered rumor can obscure the truth, and set off violence between communities that once lived in peace. In an age of rapid change and colliding cultures, what we share as human beings can be lost.

But I believe that the history of both America and Indonesia gives us hope. It’s a story written into our national mottos. E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika — unity in diversity. We are two nations, which have travelled different paths. Yet our nations show that hundreds of millions who hold different beliefs can be united in freedom under one flag. And we are now building on that shared humanity — through the young people who will study in each other’s schools, through the entrepreneurs forging ties that can lead to prosperity, and through our embrace of fundamental democratic values and human aspirations.

Earlier today, I visited the Istiqlal mosque — a place of worship that was still under construction when I lived in Jakarta. I admired its soaring minaret, imposing dome and welcoming space. But its name and history also speak to what makes Indonesia great. Istiqlal means independence, and its construction was in part a testament to the nation’s struggle for freedom. Moreover, this house of worship for many thousands of Muslims was designed by a Christian architect.

Such is Indonesia’s spirit. Such is the message of Indonesia’s inclusive philosophy, Pancasila. Across an archipelago that contains some of God’s most beautiful creations, islands rising above an ocean named for peace, people choose to worship God as they please. Islam flourishes, but so do other faiths. Development is strengthened by an emerging democracy. Ancient traditions endure even as a rising power is on the move.

That is not to say that Indonesia is without imperfections. No country is. But here can be found the ability to bridge divides of race and region and religion — that ability to see yourself in all individuals. As a child of a different race coming from a distant country, I found this spirit in the greeting that I received upon moving here: Selamat Datang. As a Christian visiting a mosque on this visit, I found it in the words of a leader who was asked about my visit and said, “Muslims are also allowed in churches. We are all God’s followers.”

That spark of the divine lies within each of us. We cannot give in to doubt or cynicism or despair. The stories of Indonesia and America tell us that history is on the side of human progress, that unity is more powerful than division, and that the people of this world can live together in peace. May our two nations work together, with faith and determination, to share these truths with all mankind.

Facebook to compete gmail, launch email service

Press Trust of India, November 14, 2010 (Houston)

Social networking site Facebook may soon offer e-mail services to its 500 million members to compete gmail and yahoomail, making it the largest such service on the planet.

More significantly, the offering could lead to a fundamental transformation of e-mail.

Yahoo, Google and Microsoft are already scrambling to re-tool their e-mail services to build them more around people's social connections.

Facebook would have a tremendous advantage because it owns a vast trove of data about people's relationships and would find it easier to graft e-mail onto its existing social services such as photo-sharing.

The launch of the new service will be made official on Monday.

Together with a likely announcement of a strategic alliance with Microsoft to incorporate the functionality of Facebook in the Office applications.

The new email Facebook will integrate fully the social network, using the working model of the network of friends.

An ecosystem of communication 'sensitive' to the world of relationships of people, able to combine text, pictures, music and video in a single container of communications. And to give this information flow a priority based on the social context of each.

More than just email and then, a real office staff to assess the quality of communication and understand what is more important or is most dear to you.

All this added a social network that is already the world's most used vehicle for sharing information, photos, videos, activities and causes. Every month there are about 25 billion content that Facebook users make available to the network of "friends" Digital.

The deal with Microsoft could transform into a business plaza. And maybe material for a sequel to 'The Social Network', the film about the history of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg and his smash hit, the box office.

If it is announced, a Facebook e-mail service would allow its more than 500 million members to communicate with anyone inside or outside the walls of the social network. If they use it, Facebook would leapfrog the 361 million global users of Windows Live Hotmail, Yahoo Mail's 273 million users and Gmail's 193 million.

However, a Facebook e-mail service would be most remarkable not for the size of its network, but for how it could use its web of social connections to transform one of the oldest -- and perhaps still the most important -- functions of the Internet.


Read more at: http://profit.ndtv.com/news/show/facebook-to-compete-gmail-launch-email-service-121612?cp

Usul tergempar bincang kekeliruan tarikh Aidiladha

Harakahdaily

KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Nov: Ahli Parlimen Kubang Kerian, Salahuddin Ayub akan mengemukakan usul tergempar agar isu tarikh Aidiladha yang berbeza dua hari dengan tarikh dan masa wukuf di Arab Saudi dibincang di Dewan Rakyat, Isnin ini.

Usul tersebut dikemukakan beliau kepada Speaker Dewan Rakyat, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, semalam.

Dalam usul tersebut, beliau yang juga Naib Presiden PAS mendakwa sambutan Aidil Adha pada Rabu lalu "sangat pelik, menimbulkan banyak keraguan, kekeliruan dan masalah kepada umat Islam di negara ini".

Beliau mengemukakan usul berkenaan bagi menangguhkan mesyuarat di bawah peraturan perkara 18(1).

Berikut ialah usul penuh beliau.

Adalah saya Haji Salahuddin Haji Ayub (Kubang Kerian) dengan ini memohon supaya mesyuarat ini ditangguhkan untuk merundingkan perkara yang pada hemat dan pandangan saya adalah tertentu, perlu disegerakan dan berkepentingan ramai iaitu isu yang berkaitan dengan tarikh sambutan Hari Raya Aidil Adha yang berbeza dua hari daripada tarikh dan masa wukuf yang diisytiharkan oleh kerajaan Arab Saudi.

Tarikh sambutan Hari Raya Aidil Adha tahun ini yang diisytiharkan jatuh pada hari Rabu, 17 November 2010 adalah sangat pelik dan menimbulkan banyak keraguan, kekeliruan dan masalah kepada umat Islam khususnya di negara ini. Perbezaan dua hari sambutan Aidil Adha di negara ini yang diambil kira daripada tarikh dan masa wukuf di Arafah yang jatuh pada hari Isnin, 15 November 2010 adalah jelas tidak munasabah walaupun dapat kita fahami perbezaan waktu peredaran matahari yang hanya berbeza lebih kurang lima jam di antara Malaysia dan Arab Saudi. Juga adalah dimaklumkan kesan kekeliruan tarikh ini juga mengakibatkan juga bilakah pula berakhirnya hari Tasyrik yang melibatkan masa yang diizinkan menyembelih ibadah qurban.

Isunya di sini ialah bagaimanakah pihak pengurusan agama Islam di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri menggarap dan mengurus tadbir isu ini? Apakah hujah dan alasan yang diberikan kepada pihak yang bertanggungjawab sebelum pengisytiharan tentang tarikh hari Raya Aidil Adha dibuat? Adakah tidak ada pengurusan, penyelarasan dan perbincangan dibuat untuk menyelesaikan perkara yang sekecil dan semudah ini?

Saya berpandangan dalam era kecanggihan peralatan komunikasi dewasa ini tidak ada alasan untuk kita menyelesaikan isu yang sangat mengelirukan, meresahkan dan membingungkan seperti ini. Memandangkan perkara ini adalah satu isu yang serius, saya mengambil tanggungjawab untuk Dewan Yang Mulia ini membincangkan isu dan meminta pihak Jabatan Perdana Menteri memberikan jawapan dan penjelasan agar perkara seperti ini tidak akan berulang lagi pada masa akan datang.

Bedah Buku 'Tokoh2 Gerakan Islam Dalam Sejarah' - Hj Saari Sungib

Salam,

Semua dijemput ke sesi 'Bedah Buku' "Tokoh-tokoh Besar Gerakan Islam Dalam Sejarah" hasil penulisan Hj Saari Sungib @ Pakabu, ADUN Hulu Kelang, Selangor; mantan Presiden Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) dan bekas tahanan ISA (2 kali).

Sesi akan diadakan seperti butir-butir berikut:

Tarikh : 20 November 2010 (Sabtu)

Waktu : 2.00 - 4.00 petang

Tempat : MPH Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur


Buku setebal 338 muka surat ini mengumpulkan kisah-kisah inspiratif para pemimpin gerakan Islam sedunia melibatkan gerakan Islam seperti Ikhwanul Muslimin di Mesir, revolusi Iran, gerakan Islam di Sudan, Hamas, kisah pejuang di Aceh malah gerakan Islam Malaysia sendiri.

Hasil tulisan Hj Saari Sungib ini merupakan karya berharga yang wajar dihalusi oleh semua anak muda Islam terutamanya yang banyak terlibat dengan gerakan dakwah. Tokoh-tokoh yang dipaparkan memang mempunyai keunikan masing-masing di dalam gerakan Islam. Melalui pengalaman tokoh-tokoh ini, anak muda Islam pasti akan lebih bersemangat dan mengetahui jerih payah yang telah dilalui oleh ahli gerakan Islam terdahulu perlu diteruskan demi perjuangan Islam yang sebenar.

Di dalam bab-bab yang awal, penulis banyak menyentuh mengenai fiqh al-waqi' dan betapa perlunya ahli gerakan Islam untuk memahami manhaj gerakan Islam bersifat waqi'. Beliau juga secara khusus menulis di dalam satu bab mengenai 5 ilmu fiqh yang perlu dikuasai oleh ahli gerakan Islam. 5 fiqh tersebut adalah fiqh al-maqasid, fiqh al-aulawiyat, fiqh as-sunan, fiqh al-muwazanah dan fiqh al-ikhtilaf.

Antaranya tokoh-tokoh yang dipaparkan adalah Hassan Al-Banna, Sayyid Qutb, Dr Yusof Al-Qardawi, Ghannouchi, Hasan Turabi, Muhammad Iqbal, Ayatollah Khomeini, Izzuddin Al-Qassam, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Muhyiddin, pemimpin-pemimpin Ikhwanul Muslimin seperti Hasan Al-Hudhaibi, Umar Tilmisani dan Mustafa Masyhur.

Penulis turut mengkisahkan tokoh-tokoh Nusantara di Aceh, Sumatra dan Jawa seperti Teungku Chik Pante Kulu dan Teungku Fakinah (pejuang Wanita Aceh). Kisah-kisah tokoh seperti T.M Hasbi As-Siddieqy dan Pak Natsir turut dikongsi.

Dan sudah tentu tokoh-tokoh Gerakan Islam Malaysia juga dipapar. Antaranya ialah Abu Bakar Al-Baqir, Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmy, Prof Zulkifli Muhammad, Tuan Guru Yusof Rawa dan Dato' Fadzil Noor.

Apa yang menarik ialah penulis bukan sahaja memaparkan kisah tokoh-tokoh tetapi lebih penting perjuangan Islam yang mereka bawa untuk melaksanakan agenda perubahan. Ini sudah pasti boleh dijadikan panduan dan bekalan buat penggerak dan aktivis Gerakan Islam kini.

Hadirlah sesi 'bedah buku' tersebut dan dapatkan senaskah buku yang amat berharga ini.

Badan peguam antarabangsa mahu Putrajaya mansuh ISA

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 Nov — Institut Hak Asasi Manusia Persatuan Peguam Antarabangsa (IBAHRI) menggesa kerajaan Malaysia memansuhkan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA), yang berusia lima dekad, atas alasan penggunaannya melanggar lunas perundangan dan hak asasi manusia di sebuah negara demokrasi.

Badan antarabangsa itu berkata, perbicaraan ke atas blogger berkontroversial Raja Petra Kamarudin, yang dua tahun lalu ditahan di bawah ISA, menunjukkan Malaysia menggunakan undang-undang sedemikian bagi mengekang kebebasan bersuara.

Penggunaan ISA oleh Malaysia telah menghalang hak-hak individu untuk mempertahankan diri dan selain meletakkan kuasa arbitari mutlak pada pihak kerajaan, kata Martin Solc, pengerusi bersama IBAHRI yang berpejabat di London, dalam satu kenyataan yang dikeluarkan hari ini.

“Proses yang sewajarnya dan hak-hak untuk mempertahankan diri adalah komponen penting lunas perundangan, yang merupakan asas bagi sesebuah negara demokratik,” kata beliau.

Sehubungan itu tegas beliau, sebagaimana ditunjukkan oleh laporan perbicaraan Raja Petra, akta berkenaan mengekang kebebasan bersuara.

IBAHRI baru-baru ini menghasilkan laporan bertajuk “Malaysia: The Delicate Balance Between Security and Due Process”, yang boleh diperoleh dari laman www.ibanet.org, berdasarkan pemantauan terhadap penahanan dan perbicaraan editor Malaysia Today itu.

Dalam ringkasan laporan, persatuan itu mendakwa ISA kini digunakan untuk menahan seseorang untuk tempoh yang tidak terhad, mengekang hak seseorang untuk melalui proses perundangan sewajarnya dan perbicaraan adil, menghukum seseorang bagi kesalahan yang bukan ditahan awalnya dan mereka yang ditahan pula tidak dibicarakan.

IBAHRI, yang sebahagian daripada Persatuan Peguam Antarabangsa (IBA) yang berusia 63 tahun mempunyai 40,000 ahli di seluruh dunia berkata, telah menghantar saranan agar ISA dikaji semula tetapi mahu pentadbiran Najib memansuhkan undang-undang itu.

Kumpulan itu berkata, tindakan sedemikian akan memastikan kesemua rakyat Malaysia dilindungi daripada salah guna akta sedemikian, yang bercanggah dengan undang-undang antarabangsa.

Berkuat kuasa 1 November lalu, Raja Petra yang kini berada di luar negara dianggap bebas selepas Mahkamah Persekutuan membatalkan rayuan Kementerian Dalam Negeri berhubung keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi membebaskan penulis blog itu daripada

tahanan dua tahun mengikut ISA pada 2008.

Keputusan sebulat suara itu dibuat tiga panel hakim dipengerusikan Hakim Besar Malaya Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria yang berpendapat bahawa isu di mana kementerian mahu mahkamah menentukan adalah akademik kerana perintah penahanan yang dikeluarkan ke atas Raja Petra telah luput.

Pada 7 November, 2008, Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam memerintahkan pembebasan Raja Petra daripada tahanan ISA selepas memutuskan bahawa penahanannya selama dua tahun di kem tahanan Kamunting di Taiping adalah menyalahi undang-undang.

Beliau ditangkap pada 12 September 2008 kerana dianggap sebagai satu ancaman kepada keselamatan negara dan perintah untuk menahannya mengikut ISA dikeluarkan pada 22 September 2008.

Raja Petra ditahan berdasarkan antara lain, memiliki dan menjalankan laman web Malaysia Today dan dengan niat dan menerbitkan artikelnya dan juga komen-komen pembacanya dengan sewenang-wenangnya, yang menghina orang Islam, kesucian Islam dan peribadi Nabi Muhammad S.A.W.

Beliau memfailkan satu permohonan habeas corpus menuntut pembebasannya. Dalam permohonannya, dia menamakan Menteri Dalam Negeri sebagai responden.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak dalam ucapan sulungnya selepas dilantik Perdana Menteri April 2009 berjanji akan mengkaji semula ISA.

Jun lalu, Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein berkata pindaan kepada ISA dan enam undang-undang pencegahan yang lain telah diluluskan oleh Jabatan Peguam Negara dan akan dibawa ke Kabinet dalam masa terdekat.

Beliau berkata masih ada beberapa perkara yang perlu diperkemaskan dan tidak pasti bila ia akan dibawa ke Parlimen.

Selain ISA, undang-undang yang akan dipinda adalah Ordinan Darurat (Ketenteraman Awam dan Mencegah Jenayah) 1969, Akta Dadah Berbahaya (Langkah-Langkah Pencegahan Khas) 1985, Akta Kediaman Terhad 1933, Akta Buang Negeri 1959, Akta Pencegahan Jenayah 1959 dan Seksyen 27 Akta Polis 1967 berkaitan perhimpunan.

Pada Mac lalu, Kabinet memutuskan pindaan ISA harus dibentang pada persidangan Parlimen bersama-sama enam lagi akta berkaitan pencegahan yang juga perlu dipinda.


Sumber: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/badan-peguam-antarabangsa-mahu-putrajaya-mansuh-isa/