Opposition MPs voice out criticism against PCA amendments

KUALA LUMPUR: The introduction of new Bills, especially the amendments to Prevention of Crime Act 1953 (PCA), has drawn a barrage of criticism from Opposition MPs.

DAP’s Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh feared that the PCA would mean a return to the Internal Security Act.

“Detention without trial is something that cannot be justified. An Act without judicial review robs people of their rights of freedom and speech,” he said yesterday.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said the PCA amendments clearly contradicted the promises made by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in 2011 that there would be no more preventive laws.

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar of PKR described the PCA amendments as an “atrocious” Bill.

“A lifetime of struggle has gone to waste as the PCA is merely an ISA 2.0,” she added.

Nurul Izzah also lamented that the MPs were not consulted before the PCA was tabled.

Padang Serai MP N. Surendran of PKR said that he was appalled after he read through the Bill, saying that it was “unreasonable”.

Human rights group Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong said the PCA amendments should rightly be deemed similar to the repealed ISA and the Emergency Ordinance (EO).

He claimed that the Bill was an admission of incompetence by the police force.

“They are trying to say that the crime rate has risen because of the repeal of the EO. I think that is a very shallow, flimsy excuse.”

Bar Council human rights committee chairman Andrew Khoo said Malaysia was falling behind countries like Indonesia and the Philippines when it came to such laws.