Malaysia Resurrects Detention Without Trial, Alarming Government Critics

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Malaysia Resurrects Detention Without Trial, Alarming Government Critics
By THOMAS FULLER

BANGKOK — Three years after abolishing detention without trial, the Malaysian government revived the practice on Tuesday with the passage into law of a highly contentious antiterrorism bill that opposition leaders fear could be used against government critics.

The bill, the Prevention of Terrorism Act, was passed in the early hours of Tuesday by a vote of 79 to 60 and came after more than 10 hours of debate.

The government, which arrested 17 people this week for what the chief of police said was a plot to attack army camps and police stations, has sought to justify the antiterrorism law as necessary to combat the threat of terrorism on Malaysian soil.

Full story: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/world/asia/malaysia-resurrects-detention-without-trial-alarming-government-critics.html

-- The New York Times 2015-04-07

[NeilSA1]

" the Malaysian government revived the practice on Tuesday with the passage into law of a highly contentious antiterrorism bill that opposition leaders fear could be used against government critics. "

And now what? Short of declaring martial law, is this their watered down equivalent of act 44? An 'anti-terrorism bill' which can be used against government critics? That's a very clever name.