Najib slams Pakatan for lifting moratorium on security laws

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has slammed Pakatan Harapan for lifting a moratorium on security laws that were labelled as “draconian” by the coalition's leaders.

The former prime minister in a Facebook post on Monday (Dec 3) said Pakatan had harshly criticised Barisan Nasional over the laws, and promised to repeal them in their election manifesto. 

He recalled many press statements were issued and programmes carried out against the then Barisan government over the implementation of such laws including the Prevention of Crime Act 2017 (Poca). 

Najib said Pakatan had claimed that the laws were ruthless and suppressed democracy and the people’s rights.

“The same thing is repeated for the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota), Security Offences Special Measures Act (Sosma), the Sedition Act, the National Security Council Act among others.”

During that time, Barisan had said that these laws cannot be repealed due to its importance to safeguard the security of the nation.

Najib said the Pakatan government, however made a U-turn, and announced on Sunday (Dec 2) that the moratorium was being lifted on those Acts to handle the recent riots at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple.  

Najib said Pakatan sought to lift the moratorium to safeguard the people's security despite their earlier allegations that these laws were draconian.

On Monday, Gobind said that certain draconian laws will still be enforced in Malaysia, but only on issues of national security, public order, and race relations.