Accept the new apolitical anti-terrorism law, Zahid tells opposition

The Opposition should accept the new anti-terrorism law as it is targeted at militants and not to curb freedom of speech or human rights, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, March 9, 2015.Opposition lawmakers should accept the new anti-terrorism law as it is not to curb the freedom of speech and human rights, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, saying it is mainly targeted at militant activities.

He said the Pakatan Rakyat opposition should realise the importance of having such a law to curb terrorism in the country, adding that  the new law, Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota), which is set to be tabled in this Parliament sitting, is also apolitical.

"All opposition MPs need to accept and support this new law because it is a preventive law, not one that obstructs the freedom of speech and one which curbs human rights," he told reporters after the opening of the Parliament sitting today.

Earlier, in his royal address, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah ordered the government to continue strengthening the nation's security and public order, namely to tackle terrorism in Sabah and to curb the spread of religious extremism through involvement in Isis militant activities.

Last week, Zahid also told the media that the cabinet had been briefed on the new bill by the Attorney-General and the draft would be finalised before it was tabled in Parliament.

He said Pota would strengthen existing laws such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) and the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca), though Sosma and Poca were not specifically for prevention of terrorism.

He also stressed that Pota was not a revival of the Internal Security Act or the Emergency Ordinance.

It was reported earlier this month that the new anti-terror act will include provisions that allow for detention without trial and the implementation of the Electronic Monitoring Device (EMD).

The Malaysian Insider quoted sources familiar with the new act as saying that it will have features similar to Poca which allows suspected criminals to be detained without trial for up to two years.

- TMI