KUALA LUMPUR, 2 Dec 2008: A total of 2,681 people have been put under restraining order until last month for committing various offences under the country’s preventive law, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said.
He said the order — under the Emergency (Public Order and Crime Prevention) 1969, Restricted Residence Act 1933, Prevention of Crime Act 1959, Internal Security Act 1960 and Dangerous Drugs Act 1985 — was to restrain and monitor the movements of individuals in restricted areas.
“The restraining order is a method of rehabilitation and not a punishment. This is to prevent them from continuing their illegal activities in the area.
“The restraining order is still an effective preventive measure and if the subject violates the order, the person can be charged in court,” he said in reply to Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) during question time at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Syed Hamid said those put under the restraining order would be allowed to work within their restricted areas and bring their family members to live with them.
Answering Fong’s supplementary question on steps taken by the government to ensure those serving the order would become self-reliant and not return to their old activities, Syed Hamid said, the government would help them to find jobs.
To a question from Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu), Syed Hamid said, police had been allocated with RM309.3 million this year to improve office administration facilities.
“The Logistics Department in Bukit Aman will channel the allocation through the state police contingents in accordance with the needs of each state and district,” he said. — Bernama
