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Govt won’t close Kamunting
detention camp
THE federal government will not
close the ISA detention camp in
Kamunting, Perak, Nanyang Siang
Pau reported yesterday.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed
Hamid Albar urged the Pakatan
Rakyat state government to respect
the law and not turn the detention
centre in Taiping into a political
issue.
He reiterated that the land on
which the Kamunting detention
centre is located has been gazetted
and the state government cannot
“touch” it.
“This is the federal government’s
property, and (the centre was) built
with the approval of the federal
government, it is clearly stated in
the law,” said Syed Hamid.
He told the daily that “they can-
not do as they please, the state gov-
ernment has to respect the law.”
He said if the state government
still wants to challenge (the federal
government), “it is up to them”.
The state government has lately
passed a motion to request the
federal government to abolish the
Internal Security Act, free all ISA
detainees and close the Kamunting
detention centre.
Meanwhile, Perak Mentri Be-
sar Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizhar
Jamaluddin said the state govern-
ment will not seek other means
including legal recourse to get the
federal government to shut down
the detention centre.
He said if it is verified that the
Kamunting land has been gazetted,
the state government will leave it to
the ministry to handle the problem
of the detention centre.
“I have heard that the (Kamunt-
ing) land has been gazetted.
Can’t get a copy of
“It is up to the home ministry to
decide whether it wants to close
down the centre,” he said.
Nizhar said the main aim of the
motion that was passed in the state
assembly recently is to seek the
abolition of the ISA and to free all
those detained without trial.
Closing down the centre is sec-
ondary, he said.
In Ipoh, Taiping MP cum state
exco member Nga Kor Ming said
the state government does not
discount the possibility of a multi-
fold increase in the quit rent on the
Kamunting land.
He said it has come to his knowl-
edge that the centre still owes five
years’ quit rent arrears and if it is
true, the state government will
resort to legal means to get the
federal government to pay up the
arrears.
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Top cop orders
blitz on Mat Rempit
INSPECTOR-GENERAL
OF POLICE (IGP) Tan Sri
Musa Hassan has ordered Press Digest
his men to put a stop to the by Kong See Hoh
Mat Rempit menace and give newsdesk@thesundaily.com
peace back to the public,
Loke Sin Chew Daily reported He pointed out that police
Mansion yesterday. will step up operations against
cracking He said he has noticed the Mat Rempit at night, at known
Mat Rempit are getting more “black areas” for illegal racing
up menacing, committing crimes to stop Mat Rempit from
pg 13 and disturbing public peace. widening their activities.
As such, police will adopt Musa said police must
a series of measures to clamp restrict the activities of Mat
down on the menace. Rempit not only in
Maximum effort will cities but also to stop
be used to reduce their Many them from roaming
activities, especially of them in groups.
crime cases, to a (Mat Rempit) He said youths of
minimum. face serious good conduct will
Musa said this not speed as they
when told by the daily psychological wish in the street in
that the public are problems. groups in the middle
worried about the They lack of the night or in the
number of crime cases parental love wee hours, and if
committed by Mat they (Mat Rempit )
Rempit. and their souls do that, they should
“Police will soon are empty be ready to face
take a series of because they police action and the
measures against Mat are neglected consequences.
Rempit. by their The IGP also
Some of the reminded parents
measures have parents and to keep tabs on the
already been adopted guardians. In activities of the
in some states, but their effort to children so as not be
these preventive seek short- left in the dark when
measures do not their young ones
include the use
term thrills, become future Mat
of the Emergency they break the Rempit.
Ordinance.” law.” He said illegal
He stressed that the racing has caught on
Emergency Ordinance among youths due in
is used on individuals who are part to the trend, and parents
deemed a threat to the country’s have to share the blame.
security and police will not “Mat Rempit are a problem,
simply use the ordinance, but many of them face serious
especially when there are psychological problems.
adequate measures that can be “They lack parental love and
taken against Mat Rempit. their souls are empty because
“The ordinance can be used they are neglected by their
against crime syndicates, such parents and guardians.
as drug traffickers, etc, but not “In their effort to seek
a bunch of ignorant youths,” he short-term thrills, they break
said. the law.”
He disclosed that state police He said while police will do
chiefs have all the while been their part, the public should
taking appropriate measures hold more dialogues and
to check illegal street racing counselling sessions for youths
but what happened lately has in order to put an end to the
clearly shown that police need growing threat and menace of
to take further action.” Mat Rempit effectively.