We, at this blog, write in response to the article below, published in Aliran and also write to extend our support to the 176 Perak doctors, who urged the Government of Malaysia to release Dr Jeyakumar based on the reasons stated below.
As such, we hope that you could voice out your views/opinions in this connection. By doing so, we could let our Government voted in by the people truly realise what the people want. Hence, they are able to reconsider their action and act according to the majority of Malaysians' will.
Please forward your views via the comment provided below. Kindly do not stop here, but also direct your circles of contacts to do so. Thus, make good use of this site and put forward your view accordingly and in this way we show our care and love for Our country.
Thanks for your kind participation in this campaign.
James Oh
176 Perak docs demand Dr Jeyakumar’s release
By Aliran, on 23 July 2011
In a show of solidarity, 176 doctors and specialists in Perak have demanded the release of Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj and his colleagues.
Doctors and medical consultants who are members of the Perak MMA and the Perak Medical Practitioners Society (PMPS) at a press conference in Ipoh where the following statement was released
We, the undersigned doctors, including members of the Malaysian Medical Association (Perak Branch), and/or the Perak Medical Practitioners Society are:
• very concerned and troubled over the prolonged ‘illegal’ detention of our colleague Dr. Jeyakumar Devaraj.
• concerned about Dr Jeyakumar’s health, which seems to be deteriorating under detention.
• deeply saddened, hurt and disillusioned by the action of the Judiciary (which is supposed to be to be independent) which on 13 July 2011 delayed the hearing date of the habeas corpus application by Dr Jeyakumar and five others by a month.
• We scarcely need reminding that Article 5 (1) of our Federal Constitution says no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty save in accordance with the law.
• Malaysia sits on the Human Rights Council. The Malaysian government must do justice to its position on this council by according and recognising the human rights of Dr Jeyakumar and his team who are under ‘illegal’ detention. The least that the Malaysian government can do is to live up to the ideals of Human Rights Council ─ and not violate the very rights that the government has been charged to defend steadfastly.
• In view of this obligation, it will be totally unjustified to continue the ‘illegal’ detention of Dr Jeyakumar and his team without giving them a fair trial in court. The Government should do justice to its position on this Council and convince Malaysians that there is no malice on its. Denying Dr Jeyakumar and his team the right to defend themselves is denying them justice.
• It is pertinent to emphasise that we are strictly apolitical and are acting as colleagues of Dr Jeyakumar, who is also an active and much respected member of the MMA and whose family is much respected for the outstanding social work it does. Dr Jeyakumar and his family have contributed enormously towards the development of the health care services in our country.
We urge the immediate release of our colleague, who is also the Member of Parliament for Sungai Siput, Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj.
Dr Jeyakumar and five other Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) members were ‘illegally’ detained under the Emergency Ordinance recently. They have been placed in a cruel and unjust situation. They were first accused of waging war against the King and now of being a threat to national security, allegedly trying to revive communist ideology. They are subjected to interrogation and solitary confinement, denied proper visitation rights with their lawyers and close family members. This is of course unacceptable in a civil and democratic society.
We say that the detention is ‘illegal’ because till today, there is no solid and substantiated basis for the continued detention of Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj and five of his PSM colleagues.
Those who know Dr Jeyakumar personally will readily vouch for his integrity, his passion for the poor and his principled, patient and peaceful approach. He is neither a communist nor a violent man who could be a serious threat to the country. For the record, Dr Jeyakumar is a highly dedicated physician who has had excellent service record while he was working in the Ministry of Health. He is a tireless social advocate and activist who has worked throughout his life to help and protect the rights of the poor, the marginalised and the forgotten communities in the society. All those who know Dr Jeyakumar speak highly of his work and commitment to the people. How could someone with such immaculate and exemplary professional standing be an enemy to the country! The home minister must make every effort to secure the immediate release of Dr Jeyakumar and do justice to both his ministerial duties and to Dr Jeyakumar.
The government has rightly spoken much about transformation and change, and this is something every loyal citizen endorses. But what appears to be the deployment of Cold War tactics by resurrecting the “communist” and “foreign” bogey against political rivals these days only serves to dissuade the public that the government is earnest in its efforts at bringing about civil changes that would be in line with first world societies.
Therefore, we urge the Government, especially the Home Minister, to release Dr Jeyakumar and his team immediately.
James Oh
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS IN THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS: A COMMENTARY.
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (with Amendments). Edition April 1974.
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