Sosma among Acts under Home Ministry's purview to be reviewed this year, says Hamzah

PUTRAJAYA: Several Acts under the Home Ministry’s purview including the controversial Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) will be reviewed this year, says Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

The Home Minister said this was to ensure that issues falling under these Acts remained relevant and may be tackled efficiently and systematically.

Other Acts that will be reviewed include the Printing Presses and Publications Act, Prisons Act, Private Agency Act and Printing of Quranic Text Act.

“The revision of these Acts will further strengthen security and public order as our focus for this year is to, among others, improve legislation and enforcement,” he said when presenting the ministry’s plan for 2022 on Thursday (Jan 13).

Hamzah said his ministry also plans to find creative and innovative ways to ensure the nation’s security remains intact, under control and stable.

This, he said, was important to attract investors and businesses to Malaysia as it makes its way towards economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic.

“If we can further improve our standing in the Global Peace Index, we can boost investors’ confidence in Malaysia.

“The ministry will also look at how its agencies, particularly the Immigration Department, can play their role to help ease doing business in Malaysia,” he said.

Last year, Malaysia was 23rd out of 163 countries on the Global Peace Index.

Hamzah also said that Malaysia plans to improve its position in the US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report.

In June last year, Malaysia was downgraded to Tier 3 from the previous Tier 2 position.

The report stated that Malaysia was downgraded because it did not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and was not making significant efforts to do so.