KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak gave his assurance today that the government’s decision to introduce the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), which allows for preventive detention, will not be used on politicians as claimed by critics.

He said the preventive element of the law provided the authorities with the necessary power to contain terrorism as well as maintain order.

“There is an English saying: ‘prevention is better than cure’.

“I believe if we have preventive laws we can preempt and prevent that person from committing terrorism because when that happens many will die,” he told the Royal Malaysian Police 208^th anniversary celebrations here.

“No member of the administration will hold the power to detain… and we will ensure that only those who pose real threat will be detained under the new law,” he added.

The proposed law was first announced in November, when the prime minister tabled a White Paper in Parliament titled “Addressing the threat of Islamic State”.

The anti-terror law was drafted amid strong opposition from Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers who claimed it was similar to the repealed Internal Security Act that allows for preventive detention.

ISA had been introduced specifically to counter the Communist Insurgency, but was later used on all manner of Malaysians including opposition lawmakers, most notably during the 1987 Ops Lalang in which over a hundred people were detained.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi previously stressed the need for preventive powers that POTA would provide, while similarly vowing that it would not be abused.

The home minister said POTA will use the same template as the Prevention of Crime Act (Amendment and Extension) 2014 (POCA) that will include the allowance for judicial review.

Najib said today the law was also important to maintain “social cohesion”.

“We are very concern about race relations and religion,” he said.

POTA is expected to be tabled in Parliament this month.