RACIAL politics is the reason for Pakatan Harapan’s slow reform of repressive laws, and it is now up to civil rights groups to push for such changes, said Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram).

Suaram adviser Kua Kia Soong described PH’s backtracking on it manifesto pledge to reform the said laws as “totally unethical” and “a perversion of human rights”.

“Civil rights groups need to be ever vigilant and persistent in pushing for these reforms.

“There have been engagements with civil society, but no improvement was promised on reforming repressive laws,” he said at the launch of Suaram’s 2018 annual report in Kuala Lumpur today.

He pointed out that the cabinet imposed a moratorium on “draconian” laws, including the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, last October, but lifted it in December, following the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple fracas in Subang Jaya, Selangor.

“Considering civil society’s efforts to contribute to institutional reforms after the 14th general election, the prime minister’s decision to not make the Council of Eminent Persons report public is unacceptable and stinks of Barisan Nasional’s era of non-transparency.

“Laws that allow detention without trial violate basic human rights, and should be expeditiously abolished.”

Kua said among such laws are the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca) and Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 ((Pota).

He said PH is now reconsidering its pledge to abolish several contentious laws, including the Sedition Act, Poca, Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and National Security Council Act 2016.

According to the Suaram report, there were 182 Sosma and 53 Poca detainees last year.

Suaram estimated the total number of arrests made under security laws since their inception at 2,022 for Sosma, 3,641 (Poca) and 28 (Pota).

The report said despite the new administration’s initial drive to reform the said security laws, progress has been limited.

It also said the continued use of these laws will only cast more doubt on police’s integrity and PH’s commitment to systematic reforms, as well as the legitimacy of the criminal justice system and its efficacy in dealing with organised crime. – May 28, 2019.