Minister: Gov't open to changes to PCA amendments
Ram AnandPublished: Oct 1, 2013 2:56 PM | Updated: Oct 1, 2013 6:06 PM
The government is open to changes being made to the proposed amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act (1959) but will go through with the bill anyway, said Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.
UPDATED 6.11PM However, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says the government will go ahead with the bill, which has drawn flak from various quarters.
The government is open to changes being made to the proposed amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act (1959) but will go through with the bill anyway, said Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.
"Don't close the door by saying that the government is not ready to have discussions with those who feel this act should be objected to," he told reporters at the Parliament today.
Ahmad Zahid (above) said that he had received feedback and suggestions about possible changes to the act and said he would need to get consent from the cabinet for detailed amendments.
"There are a few clauses which the opposition, NGOs and Bar Council have asked to amend. We are open to look at what's reasonable to amend at the committee stage," he said.
"But many who have been arrested could not be brought to court because there are no amendments yet, so this amendment must be passed," he added.
Remove elements of detention without trial
Zahid insisted that there will be room for judicial review by the High Court under the amendments.
"There will be a (judicial) review by the High Court. I will explain it in the Parliament later," he said.
PKR's Subang MP R Sivarasa (left), meanwhile, said later that the opposition would be happy with any amendment to the PCA that removes elements of detention without trial.
"We could live with the original PCA, though it's still draconian. We just want the detention without trial elements to be removed," he said.
Yesterday, six opposition MPs sent to the speaker's office, proposed changes to the PCA Amendment Bill that would remove detention without trial.
The MPs are Sivarasa himself, Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin (PAS), Padang Serai MP N Surendran (PKR), Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming (DAP), Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham (DAP), and Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS).
The changes will also propose for the three-member Crime Prevention Board to be chaired by a qualified High Court judge with a minimum of ten years legal experience.
"Don't close the door by saying that the government is not ready to have discussions with those who feel this act should be objected to," he told reporters at the Parliament today.Ahmad Zahid (above) said that he had received feedback and suggestions about possible changes to the act and said he would need to get consent from the cabinet for detailed amendments.
"There are a few clauses which the opposition, NGOs and Bar Council have asked to amend. We are open to look at what's reasonable to amend at the committee stage," he said.
"But many who have been arrested could not be brought to court because there are no amendments yet, so this amendment must be passed," he added.
Remove elements of detention without trial
Zahid insisted that there will be room for judicial review by the High Court under the amendments.
"There will be a (judicial) review by the High Court. I will explain it in the Parliament later," he said.
PKR's Subang MP R Sivarasa (left), meanwhile, said later that the opposition would be happy with any amendment to the PCA that removes elements of detention without trial."We could live with the original PCA, though it's still draconian. We just want the detention without trial elements to be removed," he said.
Yesterday, six opposition MPs sent to the speaker's office, proposed changes to the PCA Amendment Bill that would remove detention without trial.
The MPs are Sivarasa himself, Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin (PAS), Padang Serai MP N Surendran (PKR), Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming (DAP), Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham (DAP), and Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS).
The changes will also propose for the three-member Crime Prevention Board to be chaired by a qualified High Court judge with a minimum of ten years legal experience.
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