MALAYSIA has extended the legal period of detention without charge, in a move criticised by some as a revival of tools for political repression.
Parliament agreed on Thursday to extend the period to two years at the end of an all-night session, according to Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who sponsored the controversial bill.
The current limit is 72 days, under the Prevention of Crime Act of 1959. The new limit will apply if deemed to be in the interest of public order, public security or the prevention of crime.
Zahid said the amendment was aimed at giving the police more teeth in fighting crime and not aimed at quelling political dissent.
But opposition legislators and human rights advocates denounced the amended law as a return of the Internal Security Act, which allowed detention without trial for prolonged periods.
The Act was criticised as a tool to repress political dissent, and was repealed in 2011 as part of Prime Minister Najib Razak's reforms.
"Malaysia is taking a huge step backwards on rights by returning to administrative detention practices much like the draconian Internal Security Act," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
The government dismissed the accusation.
"We provided certain provisions as a check and balance including the set-up of the Crime Prevention Board," Zahid said. Approval by the top-level, five-member board would be required for each case of prolonged detention.
The premier "ordered the attorney-general to make sure that the government will not be implicated of trying to abuse power," he said.
But Robertson maintained that "Prime Minister Najib is backing methods that do little to curtail crime but threaten everyone's liberty."
Senior opposition legislator N Surendran, said the passage of the bill jeopardised the freedom of every Malaysian citizen.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Malaysia extends detention without charge
Dengan url
http://cucidollaran.blogspot.com/2013/10/malaysia-extends-detention-without.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Malaysia extends detention without charge
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Malaysia extends detention without charge
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar