Over 100 identified for detention under new PCA

Police have listed over one hundred suspects to be detained under the new amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act, inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar announced today.

The police, he said, are looking forward for the amendments to be gazetted, hopefully within the next few weeks.

He said the amendments needed some time to be gazetted because procedural matters involving the electronic monitoring device has yet to be resolved, among other reasons.

"Once it is finalise, we will gazette the Act and start enforcing," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

The amendments, among others, allow for detention without trial for up to two years at a time.

When asked if the list comprises over a dozen, or over a hundred names, Khalid replied, "more than that". He confirmed that no politicians were on the  list.

Thus far, 41 suspects have been detained under the PCA for alleged involvement in illegal activities.

He added that police will also come up with another round of Ops Cantas, initially launch to tackle gangsterism and violent crimes, which would see the use of new and tougher tactics by the law enforcement.

'Protest organisers never approached us'

He said Ops Cantas had resulted in the arrest of 39,000 people and the inspection of 655,118 vehicles which has resulted in the recovery of 1,632 vehicles and 1,160 weapons.

This operation had also resulted in information on gang leaders but a lot of them are abroad.

"Some of them we managed to traced but some of them are not yet back in the country. We are waiting for them to re-enter the country. I am sure they will be back and after the new PCA is gazetted, it will be much better for us," he said.

On the planned protest against the Kuala Lumpur property assessment rate increase on Dec  16, Khalid said that organisers must approach the police about the event.

"I advise all who wants to organise a rally or assembly to request permission from us. We will help them.

"But they never sought permission and discussed it with us, so we do not know how many people are participating in the rally and what route they want to use,” he added.

He said that the scheduled venue - the Kuala Lumpur City Hall headquarters - will cause traffic problems in the city.