Discuss serious laws like PCA with BN leaders, Najib told

Vocal Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang has urged Prime Minister Najib Razak to consult BN component parties before tabling important bills in Parliament.

Tan said serious bills like the amendments and extensions to the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) 1959, which was recently passed, should be raised in the August House “systematically” after discussion with BN leaders.

“In fact, these matters should also be discussed in BN first before they are brought to the cabinet,” Tan told Malaysiakini when contacted.

“This is because the cabinet and Parliament are not fully represented by all BN component parties like MCA, Gerakan or People’s Progressive Party,” he added.

Parliament took the public and opposition MPs by surprise when itbulldozed through and passed the law on Thursday morning (or midnight on Wednesday).

The government argues that the law is necessary to put a lid in crime, which has been spiralling out of control.

Many, including the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) said the forthcoming UN review on human rights will not look too kindly upon the country’s recently-amended law, which has been described as “unconstitutional” and “regressive”.

Tan said Najib could avoid complaints of lack of consultation with BN partners on issues if early discussions with other party leaders are done.

“There would also be less opposition, for example, when the PCA was tabled in Parliament, MCA and Gerakan opposed it,” Tan said.

However, MCA later explained that its representatives voted for the Bill as there were sufficient safeguards against abuse that will be in place.

“All these should be done systematically to reduce complaints of no consultation,” he added.

“Also, such decisions should be made collectively by the BN component parties, but not all of us are in cabinet and Parliament,” he stressed.