Govt will not gamble with public security and order - Ahmad Zahid

The government will not gamble with public security and order, just because there is opposition to the provision for preventive detention which is viewed as violation of human rights.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said detention without trial had its advantages in the preventive aspect of organised and serious crimes, including providing protection to witnesses afraid to testify in court.

"There were many cases involving witnesses of organised and serious criminal cases who were murdered and threatened, thereby causing some to be afraid of testifying," he said when tabling the Prevention of Crime (Amendment and Extension) 2013 bill for second reading at the Dewan Rakyat here Tuesday.

Ahmad Zahid said, even though groups with personal interests had criticised the government's action as inhuman, it was needed in the interest of the people.

He said among the main constraints in the investigation process of organised and serious crimes was the lack of corroboration to strengthen statements.

"A failure to recover crucial items such as weapons used, had resulted in a case not being able to be taken to court despite the police recording the suspect's admission," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 needed to be improved to include the provision for preventive detention to greatly assist the police to curb such crimes.

He said tabling of the bill was also to empower the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 which was obsolete and irrelevant, with the current development of technology.

From the social aspect, secret societies would continue to recruit school children as members to train them to carry out serious crimes under the current situation, he noted.

Ahmad Zahid said from the economic angle, the rampant occurrence of crimes had also affected the confidence of foreign investors and discouraged tourist arrivals.

He said politically, these criminal groups could be planning to influence politicians and senior government officers to protect their activities, causing government institutions to lose their credibility, and causing huge losses to the country.