ormer Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) has thrown his support behind the Home Ministry’s ban on the coalition of human rights NGOs, Comango, and the controversial seizure of Malay and Iban language Bibles by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais).
Mahathir said the origins of both controversies can be traced to liberal groups who were out to test the boundaries of their new found freedom following the repeal of the Internal Security Act which allowed for detention without trial, and who had ill intentions.
"If you break the law, people who enforce the law will take action. Before this controversy came up, I don't think Jais would ever take the Bibles belonging to the Christians. You purposely come up with something to annoy people. It is not religious.
"It is just to annoy people and be uncaring about other people's sensitivities. If you start running down other religions, what will happen to this country? You want this country to be like Syria?" he asked after being interviewed by RTM in conjunction with his 10th year in retirement.
The country’s longest serving prime minister said these “liberals” were pushing the country to the brink of a Syrian-like crisis.
He said the ISA, which allowed for detention without trial, could prove useful now.
"I think for some of these extremists, we need the Internal Security Act (ISA). We don't need the ISA for people like me. I am a very nice person. For some extremists who go around saying nasty things, we need the ISA," he said.
He said the ISA, which allowed for detention without trial, could prove useful now.
"I think for some of these extremists, we need the Internal Security Act (ISA). We don't need the ISA for people like me. I am a very nice person. For some extremists who go around saying nasty things, we need the ISA," he said.
Under a crackdown dubbed Ops Lalang, launched by Dr Mahathir in 1987, 106 people, including politicians and activists, were detained under the Internal Security Act, which was repealed in 2012 by the Najib administration as part of its move to do away with laws which allowed for detention without trial.
Dr Mahathir sidestepped questions about his social activist daughter Marina who had joined moderate Muslims last Sunday to condemn Jais' raid and seizure of Bibles.
"Maybe she feels the actions taken were too harsh. That's her. I don't know her. Her name is Marina," Mahathir said in his usual acerbic style.
January 9, 2014.
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