Detention without trial under the proposed amendment of the Prevention of Crime Act is  similar to the remand practice in developed countries like the United Kingdom and the United States.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of law Nancy Shukri, who said this, pointed out that countries that people always look up to had also carried out similar exercises.

NONE"This (detention without trial) is to give time to the police to collect evidence before charging the offenders," she said while delivering her speech at a forum in Putrajaya today.

"Many like it when we talk about matters related to the orang putih (Caucasians).

"This (detention without trial) is to give time to the police to collect evidence before charging the offenders," she said while delivering her speech at a forum in Putrajaya today.

"About the word detention without trial, why don’t we get used to it by saying it is remand. In foreign countries, after they arrest a suspect, they do what? They remand him as well.

She said some commented that the government should not detain the suspect, but instead, charge the person in court.

"It is easier said than done (in the opinions of those in) NGOs and media, because those who are shouldering the burden are the police," added Shukri, who had once opposed detention without trial when she was an activist prior to joining the cabinet.

She opined that the PCA is the best solution to combat crime for this moment.

"We won't care about those having adverse comments. Never mind," she said.

Low: Criminals' rights less important

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Paul Low echoed Shukri's view, lauding the amendments as effective.

He said the rights of civil society were far more important than that of criminals.

NONE"I know many (are) against detention law, but I think we have to send a strong message to criminals...jangan main main (don't play a fool with us)," he stressed.

"If you main main, we have this law to detain you. If you threaten our witness, we have a law to detain you.

Emphasing the seriousness, Low said that organised crime was more than just gangsterism, that it included money laundering, smuggling, kidnapping, extortion and others.

"It exists because of weak laws, weak enforcement agencies and disorganised society," he said.

Low, the former Transparency International-Malaysia chairperson also claimed that those who viewed PCA as a draconian law are wrong.