MALAYSIA; Election campaign underway
Updated
Malaysia's high court has thrown out the appeal of five ethnic Indian activists challenging their detention under the country's draconian Internal Security Act. The decision comes during the first week of the country's election campaign - with rising ethnic divisions set to dominate the national debate. Opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim has unveiled his campaign platform - including a pledge to do away with the controversial race-based discrimination policies.
The opposition parties are vowing to cut the ruling coalition's size in parliament to less than a two thirds majority - down from 90 per cent.
Presenter: Joanna McCarthy
Speakers: Tian Chua is the information chief for the opposition Kaedilan party; Professor Shamsul, Director, Institute of Ethnic Studies, National University of Malaysia
MCCARTHY: The five Indian activists from the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, were detained last December after leading anti-discrimination protests. Under the internal security act they can be held without trial. They challenged their detention on the grounds there had not been a 60 day investigation period. But the Malaysian High Court found there was no such requirement under the controversial act.
CHUA: It's a disappointment, in a way it's predictable because Malaysian courts have always been serving the interests of the ruling parties.
McCARTHY: Tian Chua is the information chief for the opposition Keadilan party.
CHUA: This shows that the Internal Security Act in itself is a repressive tool for the ruling party to ensure that dissenting voice and opposition is kept behind bars and their liberty is being suppressed.
McCARTHY: Political analyst Professor Shamsul says that simply being held under the Internal Security Act carries with it an assumption of guilt that courts are unwilling to challenge.
SHAMSUL: And whatever you have requested will be turned down by the court anyway. So this has happened a couple of time throughout the history of Malaysia's Internal Security Act detainees. So it is a popular topic we talk about but nothing is being done really, so it's a bit sad. We have our own Guantanamo Bay you know.
McCARTHY: Malaysia's opposition parties are hoping that mounting ethnic tension will translate into votes against the government. Keadilan opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim is vowing to end the positive discrimination program that's been such a source of contention. His party spokesman, Tian Chua.
CHUA: Including the majority of the ethnic Malay beginning to see that such policy of discrimination does not benefit the nation, and a substantial number of Malays, especially the Malay intellectual class as well as professionals, now strongly advocates an end to the discriminatory policies of the ruling party.
McCARTHY: At least two members of Hindraf have also thrown their hat in the ring for the elections - one of whom is among the five in detention.
They're hoping to seize a protest vote from ethnic Indians and other Malaysians disillusioned at how the government handled the protests. But Professor Shamsul says there are broader issues likely to sway the electorate.
SHAMSUL: When they were asked in a survey by two different sets of people in the last eight months, they still want a secure government which can secure them a job, which doesn't disturb their opportunities. So ironically the young and conservatives on the right, I mean is this the result of capitalism? I'm not quite sure, but it is quite interesting to see this development in Malaysia.
McCARTHY: Seizing on these themes, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi outlined his own campaign platform this week. At the heart of it is an economic manifesto which promises two million jobs in the next five years. There's much at stake for his ruling coalition, which currently holds 90 per cent of the seats in parliament. Now it's facing the possibility of losing its crucial two-thirds majority for the first time in 40 years. Opposition Keadilan party spokesman Tian Chua.
CHUA: It's a party that wants to ensure they have absolute power in their hands, that has cultivated this political culture for the last five decades. And it takes a lot of effort for us to break it. But I think the time has come, they'll begin to feel the ground is very shaky for the ruling regime.
