Years ago I learned in jurisprudence that you can't equate law with morality. E.g. some may consider abortion and prostitution to be immoral but there are countries which have legalized them. On the other hand jaywalking may be amoral but you may be fined for so doing. Well, for someone who nearly flunked jurisprudence, I'm going to argue here that there are such laws which are immoral. Those laws are the ones which violate our basic human rights. And the consequence is not limited to the individual whose rights are violated but very often it extend to that individual's family.
Today is Father's day. Yet in our midst there are children whose fathers cannot be with them today because their rights were violated and are currently incarcerated in Kamunting. The psychological and emotional damage done to these children may be irreparable. Read the account of the wife of T Vasanthakumar, one of the Hindraf 5.
Who is responsible? The immoral Government that is keeping the immoral law in our statute book and does not intend to review it let alone abolish it. The same immoral Government which feel threatened by a group of children intending to give teddy bears to our fountain of justice, our king.
In the case of YB Manoharan, this immoral Government does not only deprives the YB's children of fatherly love, but also deprive the thousands of citizens in Kota Alam Shah of their representative. What kind of democracy is this?
As long as the ISA remains the law in this land, freedom is illusory. Freedom from fear. This immoral law not only deprives us of our right to defend ourself in an open court, but its more sinister nature is to strike fear in us. Fear in being fully human. A law that dehumanizes is not merely immoral but evil.
There is a forum this Tuesday on the ISA organized by GMI (Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA) & the Bar Council's Human Rights Committee. For more info click here. I understand there is going to be rally later this month in Shah Alam also.
Many many years ago a trade that dehumanized, slavery was made illegal through the effort of one man and small group of like-minded individuals. Now I'm sure based on the turnout last week at the candlelight vigil at Kamunting, we have thousands who think the ISA should be cosigned to history. Well, I think not only the ISA but the present Government too must go.
We shall overcome!
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