Govt won't close Kamunting detention camp

The federal government will not close the ISA detention camp in kamunting, Perak, Nanyang Siang Siang Pau reported yesterday.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar urged the Pakatan Rakyat state government to respect the law and not to 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, iy is clearly stated in the law," said Syed Hamid.
He told the daily that "they cannot do as they please, the state government has to respect the law."
He said if the state government still wants to challenge the federal government,"it is up to them."
The stete government has lately passed a motion to request the federal government to abolish the internal Security Act, to free all ISA detainees and close the Kamunting detention Centre.
Meanwhile, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizhar Jamaluddin said the state government will not seek other means including legal recourse to get the 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 Kamunting land has been gazetted.
"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 trhe state assembly recently is to seek the ablition of the ISA and to free all those detained without trial.
Closing down the centre is secondary, he said.
In Ipoh, Taiping MP cum state exco member Nga Kor Ming said the state government does not discount the possibility of a multifolf increase in the quit rent on the Kamunting kand.
He said it has come to his knowthat the centre still owes five years' quit rent arrears and if it is trus, the state government will resort to legal means to get the federal government to pay up the arrears.