Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says if politicians were not involved in crime then they should not worry that PCA would be used against them.
![](http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Zahid-KDN1-300x202.jpg)
Zahid said if politicians were not involved in crime then they should not worry that the laws would be used against them.
“If they are not guilty then they should not worry or fear in facing this law,” he said in an interview with FMT.
Zahid was commenting on whether political dissidents could be sure they would not to be arrested using the amendment, which the opposition has said was the rebirth of the Internal Security Act.
The PCA, which provides for detention without trial to maintain public order and safety or crime prevention, was passed by the Dewan Rakyat early yesterday morning.
Attempts by the opposition to thwart the passing of the Bill were unsuccessful when it was passed with voice majority by government supporters at 12.50am.
The amendments to the PCA allow detention for up to two years without trial if the authorities determine that it is in the interests of “public order,” “public security,” or “prevention of crime”. The law also allows a detention order to be renewed indefinitely in increments not exceeding two years.
The detention will be decided by a three-member panel whose decision could not be challenged in court.
Suspects also have no right to representation by legal counsel during any inquiry initiated under the panel to determine evidence to be used in the panel’s decision.
Proactive approach to fight crime
Zahid had said that the amendments were crucial to enable the police to take a “proactive” approach to crime.
However, he said if politicians were found to be defending criminals, then the PCA would be used against them.
He added that the Home Minister was empowered to determine which groups and what activities would come under the detention order.
“We don’t care how powerful the politicians are, because they will still be subjected to the law if they are involved in crime,” said Zahid.
Previously, the ISA was severely criticised by human rights organisations and opposition parties as a draconian law which was abused by the government.
The ISA was a preventive law which allowed for detention without trial. In 2011, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced the repeal of the legislation, and had promised that preventive laws had no place under his transformation programmes.
However the introduction of the detention-without-trial clause under the PCA amendments had raised concerns that the government would eventually use this legislation to silence its detractors.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.