ISA Arrests In Malaysia

I am totally shocked at the arrest of the reporter Tan Hoon Cheng under ISA for "allegedly threatening security, peace and public order". Ms Tan is the reporter who wrote about the racist remarks made by UMNO Division Chief Ahmad Ibrahim, who called the Chinese "squatters" in the country. This created an uproar in the Chinese community, many of whom cited the role played by the Chinese during the fight for independence, the blood loss fighting alongside the Malays and Indians during World War 2 and the roots that have been firmly sunk in this land.

Ms Tan, an award-winning journalist from a chinese newspaper here, was merely doing her job when she reported what Ahmad Ibrahim said. For the record, Ahmad Ibrahim never denied what he said, he refused to apologise and his excuse was that his remarks were made in front of a totally Malay audience. For his racist remarks, he was only suspended by UMNO for three years.

This is a shocker. This can very well throw the country into turmoil. There will be cries of injustice. Is this a last-ditch political game played to retain power?

The arrest of popular DAP MP Teresa Kok is baffling, to put it mildly. It is believed that she was picked up over the role she played over some residents petition over a mosque. This is not a fresh happening. The question is: Why now? Is it not a provocative move?

I have nothing to say about Petra Kamaruddin's arrest. This guy, he has been going in and out of the police detention center and he seems to be able to take care of himself very well. His arrest, as cold as it may sound, is unlikely to make waves. But the two ladies?

The winds do not bode well....