EU OFFERS TO ASSIST MALAYSIA DRAFT NEW SECURITY LAWS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- The European Union (EU) has welcomed
Prime Minister Najib Razak's announcement on the abolition of the
Internal Security Act (ISA) and the review of other preventive laws.

Head of the EU Delegation to Malaysia Vincent Piket said the Prime
Minister's decision showed a determination to move forward with Malaysia's
political transformation.

Together with the electoral reform process, these reforms would strengthen
Malaysia's democratic institutions, he said in a statement.

“We very much look forward to learning more about the new laws. The EU will
be open to sharing its experience in security legislation with Malaysia," said
Piket.

On Monday, United States' Ambassador to Malaysia Paul W.Jones hailed the
move and pledged that Washington was willing to assist Malaysia in drafting new
laws to replace the ISA.

In his ‘Malaysia Day’ address on Thursday, Najib announced the decision to
lift Emergency Proclamations, abolish the ISA and replace the annually renewable
yearly printing license with a one-time license.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein was reported as saying that the new laws
to replace the ISA would be modelled after the Patriot’s Act in the US, the
Anti-Terrorism Act in Britain and Australia’s laws on terrorism.