PCA amendments likely to be passed tonight

PARLIAMENT The Dewan Rakyat is at the final stages of approving controversial amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (PCA).

Late this evening, a vote was called and passed 115 to 66, allowing the bill to be discussed at the committee stage.

The committee stage of the process, scheduled for tonight, will see the House going through each chapter of the proposed amendments to the PCA.

Six opposition MPs who have submitted proposed changes to the bill will be able to argue their points.

Previously, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that the amendments can be "fine-tuned" during the committee stage.

Meanwhile, BN deputy chief whip Nazri Abdul Aziz said that despite party opinions, MCA and Gerakan will both have to toe the line and vote in favour of the bill.

Later, the Opposition have lost another bloc vote as they tried to amend Part 3 of the proposed amendment. This means that they have failed to cancel the preamble of the Act under Article 149 of the federal constitution.

They lost the vote by 64 votes in favour of the striking-out of the preamble, proposed by Hanipa Maidin (PAS-Sepang), to 113 against.

As such, PCA will now be passed with the same preamble as the Emergency Ordinance (EO).

[More to follow]