Amnesty warns that Malaysian law gives govt ‘abusive powers’

The law reportedly gives extensive emergency powers to embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak and it could interfere with human rights, while giving him the right to act with impunity.

The new law will allow the government to set up “security areas” in regions determined to be under threat and give legal immunity to security forces to conduct operations.

Najib defended the law last week saying it was necessary due to the current security threats, including jihadi terrorism, in the country.

Controversial new security laws took effect Monday in Malaysia.

“With this new law, the government now has spurned checks and assumed potentially abusive powers”, Josef Benedict, Amnesty’s deputy director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said in a statement.

Benedict said there was “good reason” to fear that the act will be another tool in the hands of the government to crack down on peaceful protests.

Benedict also pointed out the tendency for other laws such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) to be abused in the name of maintaining security.

“My government will never apologize for placing the safety and security of the Malaysian people first”.

“In these areas, police and solders have the power to search and arrest without warrants, to seize property without warrants and prevent demonstrations …These sweeping laws have raised alarm among the opposition and rights groups who say it [the law] could be misused”.

Mr Najib came into office in 2009 pledging an end to ruling-party corruption and authoritarianism, but reversed course following a 2013 election setback and the financial scandal.

Najib Razak is embroiled in a multi-million dollar embezzlement scandal involving the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, although he denies any wrongdoing.

Najib has stifled domestic pressure by cracking down on critics within his ruling party, scuttling domestic probes, and arresting whistleblowers and journalists.

“We are gravely concerned that … the act may encourage human rights violations”, said the UN’s Laurent Meillan in a statement.

But worldwide pressure has risen after the US Justice Department last week launched moves to seize more than $1 billion in assets it says were purchased with money stolen from 1MDB.

Last August tens of thousands of people paralyzed the capital, Kuala Lumpur, demanding he stand down.

Najib’s ruling party has tightly controlled Malaysia since 1957 but increasingly faces accusations of massive corruption and repression.