Pakatan to propose 10 changes to Preventive Crime Act

Pakatan Rakyat is proposing 10 changes to the controversial Prevention of Crime Act (PCA), which
Parliament is expected to begin debating tomorrow.

According to PKR Subang MP R. Sivarasa (pic), the proposed changes are primarily over the two-year detention without trial.

He said Pakatan Rakyat MPs will raise the various amendments tomorrow during the policy and committee stages of the debate.

He said Pakatan Rakyat had this evening filed a motion giving notice to introduce the changes to the PCA with the Speaker.

PKR Padang Serai MP N. Surendran said they hoped the Government would consider the changes.

"At committee stage, these amendments will be debated clause by clause in the House. The amendments are crucial to protect the interest of the public because there are major flaws in the PCA.

"And while we support every effort to reduce crime, this Bill is flawed and dangerous," he said.

Earlier today, independent think-tank Political Studies for Change (KPRU) organised a briefing for Pakatan Rakyat MPs by the Bar Council, where legal experts, including Malaysian Bar vice-president Steven Thiru, offered views on the PCA amendments by the Government.

KPRU executive director Ooi Heng said that they organised the briefing as they found it to be "quite unusual" that the Bar was not consulted by the Government on the amendments.

"Previously, before the controversial Peaceful Assembly Act was tabled, the Bar was consulted. So, we were quite perturbed that they were not consulted on such major amendments on the PCA this time around.

"We thought it was our duty to bring the Bar into the picture," he explained.

The amendments to the PCA were tabled last week in Parliament, one of which provided for up to two years detention without trial.

Currently, the PCA allows the detention of suspects up to 72 days, during which period they should be produced in court at certain stages.

Meanwhile, eight members of NGO Joint Action Group for Gender Equality met with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri earlier today to offer their views on amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code that dealt with rape and domestic violence.

"We informed her that we are very concerned over the amendments being rushed through Parliament without any prior consultation with NGOs," said JAG member Honey Tan, who is also a lawyer.

Tan added that Nancy appeared very receptive to their recommendations, especially the need for rehabilitative counselling.

"We explained to her that crime prevention is not just about punishment and that there was a real need to rehabilitate the offenders and, as such, rehabilitative counselling should be made compulsory," Tan said. - September 30, 2013.