The country would be better served if the Home Ministry puts more effort into curbing crime then it does in using every shooting incident as an excuse to resurrect the Emergency Ordinance (EO), says PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

NONE Referring to minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s claim that there are now 260,000 criminals in the country, led by 2,600 former EO detainees, Tuan Ibrahim ( left ) said arresting criminals without trial will not address the question of how the guns are easily obtained by criminals in Malaysia.

In an interview published in Utusan Malaysia on Sunday, Ahmad Zahid ( below ) reportedly claimed that 2,600 former detainees now have at least 10 lieutenants under them, who in turn each have at least 10 followers.

“If the statistics revealed by him (Ahmad Zahid) is correct, then what was the use of the EO is curbing shooting crimes?” Tuan Ibrahim said in a statement today.

“Does the government propose detaining these 260,000 people without trial as a solution to the shootings that are becoming widespread?

NONE “Detaining suspects without trial does not answer the question as to how criminals in Malaysia can obtain guns so easily now.”

The problem now, he added, is knowing how many own illegally-obtained firearms in the country.

The Home Ministry, he opined, should instead focus on cutting off the supply of illegal firearms into Malaysia by making use of all available intelligence and Special Branch aid.

PAS also called for a reshuffle of the police force, suggesting its main focus now be combatting crime and that at least 60 percent of its manpower be tasked with it.