New act to curb terrorism - Ahmad Zahid

The Attorney-General's Chambers should create a new anti-terrorism act to strengthen the preventive aspects of terrorism, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said, apart from amending the clauses in existing acts, particularly the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill 2012 (Sosma) to further tighten control on terrorist activities, channeling funds for such activities must be prevented.

"It should take into account the preventive measures in force, (that is) the tool or any medium to determine terrorism can be prevented, not just by conventional preventive methods.

"However, it must be enacted in the new act," he told reporters after opening a seminar, 'Jihad Vs Militant' here on Saturday.

Ahmad Zahid said the draft bill for the anti-terrorism act would be drawn based on reference from seven countries that used the same legislation, that detainees would not be subjected to any abuse.

He added that the new act would not give the executive power to the home minister to allow for detention without trial; instead, it would empower a five-member panel to decide whether the person in question should be further investigated by the police or tried in court.

Ahmad Zahid also proposed the attorney-general amend the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill 2012 (Sosma) and the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 to allow communications surveillance to be used as evidence in court to curb terrorism in the country.

"For example, a suspect is placed in police custody for 17 days for allegedly channeling funds to terrorist groups...but the family of the suspect cannot accept the detention, saying he is a good person.

"But by monitoring the social media, which he consistently uses, it is found he not only sympathises with the terrorists, but is also involved with them.

"Similarly, the means of communication being used is also unknown to family members. Only the suspect and the network of terrorist groups know, other than the police. That is why, we need this new act which will address this matter, to prevent it from worsening," he said.

Meanwhile in SHAH ALAM, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) will work with the police to detect terrorist financing activities by a particular organisation in the country.

Ahmad Zahid said the collaboration included identifying the organisation which also served as a platform for money laundering activities.

"Legal action will be taken against the organisation and stern action will be taken against its members. We will not compromise on this," he told reporters after opening the Karnival Pertubuhan Kebangsaan 2014 here on Saturday.

Also present was ROS director-general Mohammad Razin Abdullah.