Definitive steps underway to amend or repeal security laws, says Muhyiddin

PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): Definitive steps to amend or repeal Malaysia's security laws are among the accomplishments of the Home Ministry in Pakatan Harapan's first year in power.

Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that amendments to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) and Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 are at the finalisation stage for Cabinet approval.

"It is likely that both Bills will likely be tabled in Parliament at the next session. Poca and Pota are being refined," said Muhyiddin.

He said this at an interview about the accomplishments of his ministry in Pakatan's first year of administration at Kompleks KDN here.

The six laws the Pakatan government promised to repeal or amend are the Sedition Act 1948, the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca), the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota), the Printing Machine and Publishing Act (AMCP) 1984, the Peaceful Assembly Act and Sosma.

Muhyiddin also said the ministry is trying to resolve the issue of undocumented foreigners, adding that a joint Home Ministry-Human Resources Ministry committee has been set up.

He said the committee will study the actual requirement for foreign workers in the country and the introduction of a holistic management system for foreign workers.

“We are still in the process of tackling the problem and we will find alternatives such as seeking the cooperation of state governments and other grassroots sources such as headmen as they are the ones who know what is happening in their area,” he said.

Muhyiddin said that 11,234 undocumented foreigners were detained between January and March for various offences.

He also said that the Home Ministry was committed to improving the image of the Royal Malaysian Police so that it is a respected and dignified institution sworn to protect the peace and security of the people and the country.

Muhyiddin said that the Pakatan government had also untangled the labyrinth of abuses of power and misappropriation that was a scourge in the country under the last administration.

He acknowledged the people's laments about the government being lethargic in reconstructing the "New Malaysia" but pointed out that within one year, Pakatan helmed by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was able to resolve many issues that had saddled the country.

He cited the problems within Felda, Tabung Haji and a number of agencies that Pakatan had or was in the process of settling but which admittedly had disrupted it from duly fulfilling many other pledges the coalition made to the people in the manifesto.

Asked what it was like to work under Dr Mahathir in the Pakatan administration compared with previously, Muhyiddin said there was no difference except that the current government was working hard to remove the stigma of kleptocracy that crept in under the previous administration. - Bernama