KUALA LUMPUR: The Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) which will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in a week’s time will also see amendments to other laws, including the Penal Code, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday.

He also said a new law to address foreign militants entering Malaysia would be tabled.

“Besides the Pota as a new law, there will be another bill on a law against foreign fighters or foreign militants to address militants who enter Malaysia, and the preventive measures that can be taken against this,” Ahmad Zahid said.

He said the Pota, like the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca), will not be used to stifle freedom the way the now-repealed Internal Security Act (ISA) was said to have been used.

“There are some who argue against detention without trial. We are looking at the Poca template and using it in Pota so that no one will be persecuted as if they were detained under the ISA,” Ahmad Zahid said.

“Human rights lawyers have said Pota and Poca are going to replace the ISA. I wish to state that it (Pota) is not going to replace the ISA or the EO (Emergency Ordinance),” Ahmad Zahid said at a meeting of the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation yesterday.

He added that executive power to decide on preventive detention would no longer be in the hands of the home minister under the new anti-terrorism act, but would instead be placed in the hands of the review boards.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in November said new laws were needed to fight terrorism, including Malaysians involved in militant activities.

Najib had tabled a white paper on the threat of the Islamic State in Parliament, and suggested that several laws be strengthened, such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, the Poca and the Penal Code. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on March 30, 2015.