PARLIAMENT The second reading of 12 Bills to amend existing laws, which were tabled together with the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA), have been withdrawn from this Parliament sitting.

NONE Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri ( right ) (BN-Batang Sadong) raised the motion today to postpone the second reading of these amendment Bills.

They are:

1) Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2013

2) Security Offences (Special Measures) (Amendment) Bill 2013

3) Prison (Amendment) Bill 2013

4) Crime Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill 2013

5) Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2013

6) Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons (Amendment ) Bill 2013

7) Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) (Amendment) Bill 2013

8) Common Gaming Houses (Amendment) Bill 2013

9) Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2013

10) Pool Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013

11) Fees (Department of Museums Malaysia)

12) Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2013

Despite opposition from various human right groups, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Prevention of Crime (Amendment and Extension) Bill 2013 at midnight, thereby providing Putrajaya with wide-ranging powers to detain suspects without trial for up to two years, which can be extended for another two years.

Opposition lawmakers have argued that detention without trial is an affront to principles of justice, and also warned that it can be abused.

After the postponement of the second reading for the 12 Bills, the sitting proceeded with Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan proposing a Customs Duty Order to impose anti-dumping duty on imported industrial raw materials.

At 12.50pm, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) raised a motion to adjourn the Parliament sitting to Oct 21.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is also finance minister, is scheduled to table Budget 2014 on Oct 25.

The Upper House, the Dewan Negara, will sit from Oct 7 to Oct 10.

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