Salleh: Don’t manipulate facts

KUALA LUMPUR: Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak yesterday rapped certain quarters for accusing the government of being undemocratic for implementing preventive laws in the country.

He said using the enforcement of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012, Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) 2015 and the National Security Council to prove that the country was undemocratic was indeed a manipulation of facts.

“This is because these acts are preventive laws which complement Article 149 of the Federal Constitution aimed at ensuring security of the people and the country.

“These acts are the ‘hard power’ used by all countries in the world, be it a democratic or a communist country,” he said in his blog yesterday.

Salleh said the previous administration of the country had also used preventive laws, namely the Internal Security Act (ISA).

“ISA was used in the Memali tragedy in 1985, also to detain opposition leaders and non-governmental organisation activists in Op Lalang in 1987, and to stop Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s challenge to the government in 1998,” he said.

Salleh, however, said preventive law was used by the previous administration with the aim to retain power, but now, it is used to maintain national security.

“We have to be fair in assessing this issue. This is because today’s government is more democratic in discharging its duties for the country.” Bernama