Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today said that the government will map out the timeline for changes in the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA) and other laws tomorrow.

Speaking at the Khazanah Megatrends Forum 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, he said further details will be revealed as they emerge.

“We are tackling it one by one... the low-lying fruits will be tabled in the next parliament sitting.

“We will decide tomorrow the timetable to approach (the reforms),” he said.

azlan He was referring to changes to the PPPA as well as a repeal of the Internal Security Act and the lifting of the proclamation of Emergency, as proposed in his Malaysia Day eve speech on Sept 15.

Answering a question from participant and notable columnist Karim Raslan, Najib said that the government will look at global best practices to work out how to go about implementing the reforms.

He said the principle of his speech is to provide greater civil liberties in Malaysia.

The PM also admitted that details of the amendments are lacking, and that the purpose was to give the rakyat “the idea that (the government is) serious about it and that (it) is committed”.

“The things I alluded to is the basic principle...we need to look at the details,” he said.

He added that the coming parliamentary sitting, beginning in October, will see “a slew of new legislation and action” in relation to the reforms proposed.

“The objective of the new policy is to ensure greater civil liberties in Malaysia; we want to emerge as a modern functioning democracy,” he said.

azlan In his Malaysia Day eve speech, Najib announced that the government will review the PPPA to do away with annual printing and publications permits.

Instead, he had said, the permits will not expire unless they are revoked by the government.

He also said the government will look into amending the Police Act with the intention to uphold the right to assembly, but will not encourage street demonstrations.

Najib had also announced that the ISA will be replaced with two new pieces of legislation which will also allow detention without trial, but these will be used against suspected terrorists and not political dissenters.

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