Malaysia Scraps Controversial Internal Security Act

By George Fu
September 17, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has announced the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960 and other emergency proclamations, in a move to gear the country towards greater civil liberties and democracy.

Addressing his special Malaysian Day message on prime time television on Thursday Sept. 15, Najib said new legislation will replace the ISA. The new laws, formulated to maintain public order and prevent subversive activities and organized terrorism, will have comparatively shorter detention periods and will rule that further detention can only be made with a court order.

The Internal Security Act (ISA) was passed in 1960 by the Malaysian government then fighting to suppress a communist rebellion. Under the preventative detention law, police can detain suspects without trial or criminal charges by the order of the home minister.

Under the act any person suspected of posing a threat to the security of the country can be detained for a period of 60 days to two years and is extendable thereafter for further periods not exceeding two years at a time. ISA has often been criticized by opposition parties and human rights groups as an abusive method to silence political critics and opponents of the government.

The prime minister also announced that the government would repeal the Banishment Act 1959 and review other laws to ensure that they meet current requirements, adding that other laws that ‘are no longer relevant’ or justifiable will be repealed.

Najib’s announcement telecast live across the country—marking the 48th anniversary of the foundation of the federation of Malaysia—was welcomed by many Malaysians to be a historic transformation towards greater freedom and rights.

Among the host of laws to be reviewed, the country’s current Restricted Residence Act 1933 and the law against assembly in public places will be evaluated to allow for free and peaceful assembly, as observed in most democratic countries.

In addition, the government will also review the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984 where annual renewals of publications would be cleared, and replaced with issuance of license until it is revoked.

“I would like to stress in no uncertain term that Malaysia which we dream of and one that we are currently building, is Malaysia which practices functional and inclusive democracy, where peace and public order are safeguarded in line with the supremacy of the constitution, the rule of law and respect for basic human rights and individual rights,” said Najib at the end of his speech.

Source: The Epoch Times.
Link: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/malaysia-scraps-controversial-internal-security-act-61726.html.