Amid strong protest from opposition parliamentarians, the Dewan Rakyat yesterday passed the amendment to the Penal Code for a new anti-terror legislation, which could see lawyers and accountants facing the death penalty for providing service to terrorists.

Opposition MPs tried in vain to defer the passing of the bill by putting up an emergency motion and called on their colleagues to exercise division practice to register their protest.

Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) tabled an emergency motion to suggest that the bill be referred to the House's select committee for six months for a further revision.

She said this was because the concerned parties were not consulted. However, her motion was rejected after 71 MPs voted against it as opposed to 23 who supported it.

Following this, Kerk Kim Hock (DAP-Kota Melaka) proposed for a division under standing order 46(4) as the House was about to pass the second reading of the bill. Seventy-six were in favour for the amendment and only 24 opposed.

A proposal for a division is an unusual practice during the passing of a bill and is only allowable if at least 15 parliamentarians second the proposal. A bill will usually will be passed with a simple majority vote after the speaker asks parliamentarians to state their stand.

The amendment was finally passed for the third reading at 12pm with 84 votes in favour and 24 objections after Kamaruddin Jaafar (PAS-Tumpat) called for another division.

Careful study

Defending the bill earlier, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim said it was not enacted hastily and added that the attorney-general's chambers took a considerable amount of time to study the matter.

He also rebutted claims that existing laws were sufficient to tackle terrorism rendering the amendment unnecessary.

However, last week Rais conceded that present laws were adequate in dealing with the problem but said the amendment was 'appropriate'.

"The issue of this new law overlapping other set of laws usually happens in a country's judiciary system. It is better for Malaysia to use a specific definition and punishment to deal with terrorism," he said.

Rais - who is also de facto law minister - also stressed that the new law did not contradict with the Legal Profession Act which stipulates that lawyers must act without fear or favour.

"This issue does not arise at all, if we do a detailed study on this bill, it will directly or indirectly let the lawyers and accountants know what amounts to terrorism offences and this will maintain their professional status," he said.

He added that the harsh punishments provided under the law "were not arbitrary" but depended on the counsel representing the accused "to do some homework".

"This is not an executive law like the Internal Security Act, it needs judicial determination," he reiterated.

The legislation has evoked criticism and stoked fears that human rights in the country will deteriorate fruther.

During the second reading debate last week, several backbenchers from the ruling coalition also expressed their reservation .