By Prashanth Parameswaran
Tighter restrictions are already raising human rights concerns among some.
Malaysia began debating new anti-terror laws in Parliament Monday. The laws would empower the government to detain, impose harsher penalties on, and seize travel documents of suspects amid the rising threat of the Islamic State.
As The Diplomat reported earlier, the Malaysian government had said late last year that it would introduce new measures after arresting dozens of Malaysians suspected of supporting the Islamic State.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and the Special Measures Against Terrorism in Foreign Countries Act were bills that were tabled for their first readings, while several other bills were amendments to existing laws.
POTA would allow authorities to detain suspects indefinitely without trial. It will create a five-to-eight member Prevention of Terrorism Board to make decisions on detention or restriction orders as well as a Registrar containing fingerprints and photographs of persons detained.
Meanwhile, the Special Measures Against Terrorism in Foreign Countries would enable authorities to seize travel documents of citizens or foreigners believed to be engaging in or abetting terrorist acts.
Read the full story at The Diplomat