Gov't plays 'bait and switch' with human rights

COMMENT When Prime Minister Najib Razak announced last September that the country's infamous Internal Security Act (ISA) would be repealed, he referred to tensions "between national security and personal freedom," and promised that new "legislation formulated will take into consideration fundamental rights and freedoms."

Fast forward seven months to this April when Parliament's Lower House, followed in short order by the Upper House, passed ISA's replacement, the Security Offences (Special Measures) 2012 Act (Sosma).

Unfortunately, this new bill does not go far enough to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of Malaysians...