Security law is national retaliation, not reconciliation, says DAP

Lim Guan Eng (right) and Karpal Singh (2nd right) have come out strongly against the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act proposed by the government in Parliament today. September 25, 2013.The amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act in Parliament today has shown that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has broken yet another promise, said the DAP.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said, "Najib promised us national reconciliation, but he gave us national retaliation."

He said the amendments to the Act was a reversal of Najib's promise for a more liberal country.

"Look at all the policies. They are trying to divide the people," Lim told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

"The PCA is the Emergency Ordinance again but in a different name."

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh accused the Cabinet of trying to bulldoze the tabling of the amendments in Parliament.

He pointed out that the Bar Council was not consulted before the amendments were tabled today.

"The Bar Council should not be alienated or treated as a non-governmental organisation," he said.

The party's national legal bureau chairman Gobind Singh Deo echoed their sentiments.

"Remember when the Home Minister was mooting the idea of a replacement for the Emergency Ordinance? He did say he will make sure that all parties' opinions would be taken into account.

"But clearly, he did not follow through with that promise. Neither the Bar Council nor any of the political parties were consulted on this," he said.

The amendments to the PCA were tabled in Parliament today, creating an uproar among opposition lawmakers as the amendments would allow detention without trial for up to two years, similar to the old Internal Security Act.

Additionally, the proposed amendments exclude the provision of judicial review, except if it is on procedural measures.

The PCA in its current form allows the detention of an individual for up to 72 days unlike the repealed draconian Emergency Ordinance that allowed detention without trial indefinitely.