PARLIAMENT A key proposal to the Prevention of Crime (Amendment and Extension) Bill (PCA) will enable the government to re-impose detention without trial for two years at a time, if passed by the Dewan Rakyat.

Among the proposals tabled this morning, the new Section 7B will establish a three-member Prevention of Crime Board headed by a judge from the High Court, Court of Appeal or Federal Court.

It will be empowered to detain individuals registered under the Act for a maximum of two years at a time.

The detention order can be renewed for a further period not exceeding two years at a time.

The new Section 15A proposes to bar judicial review of the board’s actions or decisions in exercising its discretionary power, except in procedural matters.

Detention without trial was a primary - and much criticised - feature of the Emergency Ordinance (EO) and Internal Security Act (ISA), both of which have been repealed.

The Home Ministry and the police have since claimed that this has led to the increase in violent and organised crime, as there are insufficient powers to hold suspects.

Pakatan Rakyat and civil society groups have maintained their strong opposition to detention without trial.

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