Motions on two Acts next week, ISA next March – PM

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CAREFUL STUDY NEEDED: Najib (right) chairing the Umno meeting. At left is Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. – Bernama photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will table motions in the Dewan Rakyat next week to abolish the Banishment Act 1959 and the Restricted Residence Act 1933.

The motion to abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA), which is to be replaced with two new acts, would be tabled in March next year.

An amendment will also be made to Section 27 of the Police Act 1967 in November this year.

“Whatever we can speed up, we speed up. We must focus and cannot be hasty so that the move fulfils the aspirations and objectives.

“There are many things that we must carefully study,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the Umno supreme council here yesterday.

Najib said the supreme council gave its full support to the announcement he made on the eve of Malaysia Day (on Sept 15) to abolish several Acts, including
the Banishment Act 1959, Restricted Residence Act 1933 and the ISA.

He said the move to abolish several Acts was seen as complementary to the government transformation process involving the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and the Political Transformation Programme (PTP).

“This indicates that we have a comprehensive agenda to make Malaysia not only developed economically but also to be on par with other nations which practise the so-called modern progressive democracy,” he said.

Najib, in a special message on Sept 15, announced that the ISA would be abolished and replaced with two suitable new Acts which would be drafted to protect the peace, well-being and the harmony of the people and nation.

He said the new laws would be drafted under the ‘spirit and umbrella’ of Article 149 of the Federal Constitution to prevent subversive acts, planned violence and crime.

He had also announced the abolishing of the Banishment Act 1959, a comprehensive review of the Restricted Residence Act 1933, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and Section 27 of the Police Act 1967. — Bernama