The Human Rights Watch (HRW) report criticising Malaysia is politically skewed, said Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamad.

He said other countries including Singapore had harsher laws but were not scrutinised.

"Singapore still has the Internal Security Act, but they (HRW) haven’t focused on Singapore as much as they have on Malaysia," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

Asked why Malaysia was being singled out, the Pulai MP replied: "Political reasons. "

In its report, HRW had accused Najib of breaking his promise of reform and is instead resorting to criminal laws to silence critics.

However, Nur Jazlan said the report itself was proof that Malaysia has freedom of expression.

“We allowed them to come here and give their opinion. We didn’t detain them, we let them move freely and give their opinion,” he said.

He said criminal laws such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota), Prevention of Crime Act (Poca), and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act were much better than the now-repealed ISA.

He said this was because the laws allowed suspects to challenge their detention.

Ministers also did not have absolute power under those laws.

“We have made reforms, what else is not enough?

“They want us to remove everything; I’m sorry we can’t because of our multiracial and multireligious nature of our country.

“This is still Malaysia, we know how to manage the country better than foreigners,” he added.