ISA review paper may be tabled next month

(Bernama) – A review paper of the Internal Security Act (ISA) may be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat next month, said Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusop.

“According to our plan we will try to table it in Budget 2010 for first debate in October,” he told reporters when met at a Hari Raya open house at Masjid Tanah near here today.

Last August Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had said that the government was getting feedback on the ISA.

On the claim that the release of the five ISA Jemaah Islamiah (JI) detainees on Sept 15 was a “political play” for the BN to root for votes in the Bagan Pinang, Negeri Sembilan by-election on Oct 11, Abu Seman said: “Whenever we do something good it is seen as otherwise as such is the work of the opposition.”

Abu Seman, who is also the MP for Masjid Tanah, said the five ISA detainees were freed because they were no longer deemed to be a threat to national security.