COMMENT Three years ago, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak claimed that he was heralding a new era with his promise to grant greater freedom to the people.

With a delicate balance on national security and fundamental freedoms of the people, he repealed the Internal Security Act 1960, three Emergency proclamations, Restricted Residence Act 1933, Banishment Act 1959 and reviewed the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

However, in practice it appeared to be merely striving for political mileage as the fundamental freedoms of the people are still being denied by the government and its agencies...