A shop in Bangi caused a stir when reports emerged in January that it was selling T-shirts and other paraphernalia with Islamic State (IS) and Taliban symbols, but such acts may soon become illegal.

Under amendments to the Penal Code tabled in the Dewan Rakyat by Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Jaafar this morning, the possession, display and sale of such materials would be among a list of terrorism-related offences.

The proposed law stipulates a prison sentence up to seven years or a fine, as well as forfeiture of the materials.

It covers any item that displays ‘symbols associated with a terrorist group, terrorist act or ideology of a terrorist group, including publications’.

On Jan 9, The Star published a report about a shop in Bangi, where an unnamed shopkeeper was selling the paraphernalia including IS T-shirts and stickers, which were supposedly imported from Indonesia.

He also claimed to operate an online store for those who could not come.

“There is a high demand for the merchandise and business is picking up since the store opened three months ago. Some people are genuinely interested.

“Others asked us whether we were worried about having this business in view of the negative news of late.”

“However, I was assured by my brother that we are doing this in the name of Allah and there’s nothing to be afraid of,” the shopkeeper reportedly said.

Apart from paraphernalia associated with terrorists, the amendment also criminalises the receipt of training from terrorist groups, the promotion of terrorist groups through social media and other means, and travelling through, and from Malaysia for the purpose of terrorist activities in another country.

Receiving training from terrorist groups and travelling to another country to participate in terrorist activities via Malaysia both attract lengthy jail sentences up to 30 years, in addition to a fine.

Once passed and gazetted, these offences would join an existing list of terrorism-related offences in the Penal Code.

Persons investigated under this list of offences would be subject to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, which among others allows for wiretapping communications devices, and court trials to be held behind closed doors.

18 groups designated as ‘terrorist’

Currently, according to an order gazetted in November last year, Malaysia had officially designated 18 groups as terrorist groups, including IS, several al-Qaeda groups, and the Abu Sayyaf Group in the Philippines.

Today’s proposed amendments to the Penal Code was tabled together with two new laws by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, while Wan Junaidi tabled four other amendment bills.

The proposed new laws are the Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2015 (Pota) and the Special Measures Against Terrorism in Foreign Countries Bill 2015.

The other amendments are for the Prisons Act, Prevention of Crime Act, Criminal Procedure Code, and Security Offences (Special Measures) Act.

Pota allows the government to detain terrorism suspects for two-year periods that can be renewed indefinitely.

Meanwhile, the Special Measures Against Terrorism in Foreign Countries Bill 2015 allows the Immigration Department director-general to revoke or suspend Malaysian travel documents at the inspector-general of police’s request, if the latter believes it to be necessary to prevent an act of terrorism in another country.