KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has started a series of engagement sessions with all members of Parliament to look into the proposal to amend the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) 1959 to enable police to curb commercial crime activities more effectively.
Its minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the engagement sessions will be organised as frequently as possible not only with the MPs but also other stakeholders on the proposed amendments.
The engagement session, said Saifuddin, was necessary to inform and explain to stakeholders on the need and importance of POCA in helping police eradicate crimes, subsequently ensuring safety and security in the country.
"The ministry and the police are now ready to organise engagement sessions over the matter. This reflected our openness on having the involvement of all stakeholders on matters related to improving POCA.
"We are aware that we need to listen and take into consideration the views of all stakeholders (on matters to improve POCA)," he told reporters after visiting the General Operations Force's Central Brigade headquarters in Cheras near here today.
Present was Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
Among the issues that were discussed during one of the engagement sessions included the apex court ruling in 2022 which declared Sections 4 and 15B of POCA as unconstitutional as the provisions intrude into the judicial domain and therefore violated the doctrine of separation of powers.
"During one of the engagement sessions, the answer to whether cases increased following the absence of POCA returned as a 'yes'.
"Due to such a constraint, we found there were weaknesses in our efforts to eradicate crimes such as scam cases, (illegal) online gambling activities… This polemics have existed for quite some time," he said.