KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Negara yesterday passed the Prevention of Crime (Amendment and Extension) 2013 Bill which had been debated by members of the Senate since Wednesday.
The Bill to amend the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) 1959, which had already been passed by the Dewan Rakyat, was formulated as there is an urgent need to stem rising serious crime and organised crime in the country.
It allows for detention without trial for the purpose of maintaining public order and public security or for crime prevention.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar when winding up the debate on the Bill at the policy level, gave the assurance that the amendments to the PCA would not be used against political enemies or those with opposing opinions.
“I assure that the PCA is aimed only at criminals. So, it should not be manipulated as purportedly to silence, arrest and jail those with different opinions from the government’s. It (PCA) is for crime prevention,” he said.
Wan Junaidi stressed that the PCA did not have the absolute element of detention without trial as it would be balanced with the element of human rights and the right to defend oneself.
He said the PCA was targeted at organised and serious crime where there was a provision for detention without trial just like in the Internal Security Act (ISA) and Emergency Ordinance (EO) previously.
“The difference is that the PCA will be placed under a board comprising a Federal Court judge, Supreme Court judge and High Court judge to make evaluation without interference from any minister as it is an independent body which cannot be influenced.”
In this regard, Wan Junaidi urged all parties to view the amendments to the PCA positively as the most important thing was security and peace for the people by fighting crime, especially serious and organised crime which has now become a big problem for Malaysian society and the country. — Bernama