MEDIA STATEMENT BY PARTI RAKYAT MALAYSIA (PRM)

1. SURENDER OF ARMS ROBBERS

Parti Rakyat Malaysia is happy that the crisis following the arms raid at Pengkalan Hulu has ended. We wish to express our condolence to families of the three persons who were killed. But at the same time we also greatly concerned that a number of people have been picked up and detained under the draconian ISA. We urge that they be brought to court immediately and charged for whatever they may have done against the law. In the same manner, those who have surrendered must also be tried immediately.

The whole episode has not put the military and the Ministry of Defence in a very good light. We hope that the promise to set up a board of inquiry and to carry out a thorough investigation on all matters related to this episode will be carried out soon. It is not enough just to blame the ordinary soldiers for being lax or promising to discipline them. The Defence Minister and the Commander of the Armed Forces must also take responsibility for what has happened, like all good and accountable leaders should.

We note that there has been some attempt, although in weak and vague manner, to implicate certain opposition parties with the whole episode. We call upon the BN leaders not to find excuses to widen the ISA net being cast now. We have been informed, though unable of course to verify the truth, that the police are prepared with a long list of potential new ISA detainees. We hope the BN leaders will not take advantage of this episode by resorting to the ISA in order to strengthen themselves politically.

2. WHAT IS LING DOING?

It is reported that a cargo plane with a leaked drum of toxic and inflammable liquid on board landed at the KLIA yesterday evening. But fortunately, no airport staff was apparently affected by this leakage. The cargo seemed to have been from New York. What was it exactly? Where was its destination in Malaysia?

Just a few months ago there was another report of a similar leakage in a MAS cargo plane carrying dangerous toxic material that came from China. The leakage caused medical problems for some ground staff who had to be admitted to hospital, and serious damage on the plane. PRM urges that thorough investigations be carried out on why and how these two accidents have occurred. The findings must be made public.

The Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik should now act more responsibly, to ensure that similar accident will not happen again in the future.

Dr Syed Husin Ali
PRM President
7th July 2000