In a swipe aimed at the administration of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca) is not as bad as the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Zahid said, for example, the powers of the home minister - the portfolio he holds - is limited under Poca.

"Unlike previous laws including the ISA, which even the person speaking now has been victimised by an 'orang yang cukup lama' (very old man).

"(The old man) is now promoting differences in opinion, but during his time he did not accept different opinions," Zahid said diverging from his speech.

He said this was an old story, that although some may have 'easily forgotten' (mudah lupa), he did not.

Zahid was detained under the ISA in 1998 for allegedly threatening national security.

His arrest came a day after former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and then-Negri Sembilan Umno Youth chief Ruslan Kassim were detained under the same Act.

Turning back to speaking about Poca amendments he tabled in 2013, Zahid said the revisions had limited the minister's powers.

He also said some power was divested to the Prevention of Crime Board (POCB), which he said was set up to protect the interests of those detained under Poca.

Zahid was speaking at the launch of a book on Poca which he authored.

The 315-page book includes excerpts from the Dewan Rakyat Hansard on the 2013 debate to amend the Act.

Poca was amended again in the Dewan Rakyat last week, in a move critics said would make the law even more draconian.

Among the revisions to Poca are that detainees would no longer be brought to an inquiry officer after the remand process.

Instead, the police are supposed to submit an investigation report to the inquiry officer and the POCB, upon which the inquiry officer would start the inquiry process.

Controversial Poca resurfaces with new amendments