by Teo Soh Lung
Singapore, a country that had independence thrust upon it in 1965, continues to use the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) to imprison any person without trial during peace time. This law which permits indefinite detention, was inherited from our colonial master in 1948. It has been frequently amended by the PAP government to ensure that the executive is free to do what it likes with the lives of people and that our judiciary have no jurisdiction over its powers. It is worth noting that though Britain introduced executive detention laws just prior to World War 2 with the enactment of the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939, these laws were repealed soon after the war ended. Britain has thus done a great disservice to its colony when it introduced this law to us after World War 2.
Since 1948, executive detention has been freely used. Thousands have been arrested and imprisoned without trial. Unfortunately, we do not have the Freedom of Information Act and the exact number of those detained is not known. All records of detentions are kept by the Special Branch now known as the Internal Security Department. No one has access to these records. A couple of academics had been allowed to read selected documents, but no one has been able to conduct any research of the thousands that were detained.
I understand that ISA detainees today are treated like convicted prisoners even though they were not tried in a court of law. They are detained in the Changi Prison Complex. In earlier times, they were confined in Whitley Detention Centre where the cells were larger and some were allowed space that opens to the sky. Now they are confined to tiny concrete cells with cctvs operating 24 hours.
As information of release of prisoners are randomly published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, it is difficult to keep track of the number of prisoners now detained. It is sad that they have all been forgotten. But I think most of us remember Mas Selamat bin Kastari who escaped from the Whitley Detention Centre in 2008. He was arrested in February 2006. The Report of the Committee of Inquiry about his escape that was produced in parliament is to say the least, pathetic. It could not even ascertain the manner and route Mas Selamat took to escape to freedom.
On 24 September 2010, Mas Selamat was rearrested in Johor by the Malaysian police and escorted back to Singapore. He has since been in prison without trial. His son, Masyhadi Mas Selamat was arrested in October 2013 and there is no news of him since then. It is now more than 10 years.
There are about three ISA detainees who are in prison for more than 20 years. They are:
1 Haji Ibrahim bin Haji Maidin, a Condominium Manager, arrested in December 2001;
2 Alahuddeen bin Abdullah, arrested in October 2002; and
3 Mohd Aslam bin Yar Ali Khan, arrested in December 2002.
I have in the past written to the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding ISA prisoners. These letters have all gone unanswered. They did not even have the courtesy of acknowledging receipt. We have exceedingly rude and arrogant civil servants. They are paid millions and are not answerable to us!
As of today, subject to the confirmation of the Minister for Home Affairs, there are 13 ISA prisoners. What is their mental and physical health, no one knows. Were they tortured? No one knows. It is time that our minister reports to the public about their well being. He should not take advantage of the silence surrounding these detentions. He should tell us why after decades, they are still in prison without trial. If they have committed any offence, they should be charged in open court. If not, they should be released and compensated for their long incarceration.
Function 8 