SHAH ALAM, 3 Oct: The Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) amendments which allow for detention without trial is open to be abused by the Umno-BN government, just as it had happened to the Internal Security Act (ISA).
According to the NGO, Lawyers For Liberty (LFL), what is feared about the PCA amendments is that innocent individuals will go to jail and the failure on carrying out justice.
“Why are laws that restrict human rights made a choice to prevent crime? The whole community should be involved in crime prevention,” said LFL on its Twitter page.
According to a Facebook user, Radin Muhd Imaduddin, in his response said, the abuse of the act can occur when the interpretation of the law is loose and subjective to the executive power.
He said, the reason of the approval for detention without crime is to allow the Police to combat serious crimes is strange seeing that there are other measures that can be used such as the Operasi Cantas Khas.
“I remember the movie “Minority Report”, starring Tom Cruise which was different in context, but almost identical in goal,” he said.
The Secretary General of the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), Mohamad Raimi Ab Rahim said that he has always believed that fair laws are needed to regulate the order of human life.
“However, I am very disturbed by people who ‘believe’ in man-made laws as it it is something sacred, to the extend that what is written in the Act and Regulations must be followed blindly without discretion and common sense of justice,” he said.
Previously, Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, the government’s move to pass the PCA is an arrogant act and set aside principles of natural justice.
He said that the PCA amendment violates the Federal Constitution and violates human rights.