KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Barely a year after rescinding the Emergency Ordinance, Putrajaya is looking to introduce new legislation to provide for preventive detention powers whose removal authorities have blamed for the crime rate, local dailies reported today.
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (picture) yesterday said the Home Ministry was discussing the details of the proposed law with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) after having handed them the first draft.
“We are already in discussions with the Attorney-General about it.
“We will make an announcement once they have gone through the first draft,” Zahid was quoted saying by The Star.
According to the New Straits Times, Zahid urged the Bar Council, non-governmental organisations and politicians to provide their views on the matter to the government.
“It is still in its infancy. I hope everyone provides input so that once it becomes law it will not be politicised or questioned.”
Zahid then blamed the repeal of the EO for contributing to the spike in crime.
“When the EO was abolished, many of these criminals were released. Now they are taking advantage of the situation. Laws that are introduced to curb crime should get the co-operation from all parties,” The Star reported him as saying.
NST reported Zahid as saying that 2,600 criminals detained under the EO were released when the law was scrapped and are now “roaming” the streets.
Zahid lamented that organised criminal syndicates were able to afford expensive lawyers and help criminals escape the clutches of the law, appearing to stress the need for preventive laws.
“When the crime rate goes up, police integrity will be questioned, but without a strict law to help us bust criminal operations, we are unable to reduce the crime rate,” Zahid was quoted as saying by NST.
The EO previously gave the Home Ministry and the police the power to detain a person without trial and on suspicion.
The country’s police chief has also given his full support for the proposed law to replace the EO, saying that it would help the police cut down violent crimes.
“I am confident violent crimes can be curbed if new laws similar to the EO are introduced.
“With the new laws, the police will be able to put away hardened criminals,” Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar was quoted saying by The Star.
Last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak carried out a series of law reforms, including the repeal of the EO and the Internal Security Act (ISA). He also introduced the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) and promised to abolish the Sedition Act.
But critics have questioned the sincerity of the government’s reforms, claiming that subsequent replacement laws such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 and the PAA are still insufficient to safeguard the people’s rights.
Police have sought to attribute complaints of rising crime to the repeal of the EO, but it is unclear which crimes have been directly linked to the released detainees.
