A “black day” for Malaysia as PCA passed, and the debate goes on
(TMI) – The passing of the revised Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) hours ago showed that the Prime Minister succumbed to right-wing pressure within Umno and reneged on his promise not to use preventive laws, opposition MPs said today.
“He has no guts to bring about reforms. We will look bad on the international stage,” said PKR Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin.
While the opposition called it a black day for the country, Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers were convinced the revised law would help bring down the crime rate.
Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan expressed confidence that the crime rate would be reduced and said the opposition’s arguments against the amendments had no merit.
The PCA now includes detention without trial, restrictions on judicial reviews, secrecy provisions and a recital of Article 149 in the preamble, all of which the opposition says is inconsistent with basic human rights guaranteed in the Federal Constitution.
During debates at the committee stage of the PCA, several opposition lawmakers, including N. Surendran (PKR – Padang Serai), R. Sivarasa (PKR – Subang), Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (PAS – Sepang), Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS – Kota Bharu), Nga Kor Ming (DAP – Taiping) and Gobind Singh (DAP – Puchong) argued that the amendments be re-looked.
“They were trying to politicise the issue. But with this law, Malaysians will feel safer and the crime rate will come down,” Kamalanathan said.
In response Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (PKR – Bukit Katil) said it was ridiculous for BN MPs to describe the opposition lawmakers’ arguments as baseless.
“It is the government that went back on its promises. This is a black day for Malaysia,” he shot back.
