KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — The Home Ministry (KDN) is looking into several measures to improve aspects of national security, including amending the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959 (Act 298).
Its minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, said the law has never been amended since it was introduced in 1959 and no longer meets the current situation.
“This law has never been improved, and in moving forward, we need to focus on several things like aspects of punitive value and the broadening of powers involving various enforcement agencies.
“We can no longer have only one agency be given authority; there must be various agencies to enforce it. The focus is on the punitive aspect,” he told the press at the 2023 Important Target Star Rating Awards Appreciation Ceremony today.
Also present were the Home Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Ruji Ubi and Internal Security and Public Order Director Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali.
According to Saifuddin, the study on the proposed amendments to the Act has been carried out since last year.
Other actions the ministry took to improve national security included working on a new bill related to cyber security and the implementation of the Single Border Agency (SBA), scheduled in the first quarter of next year.
The implementation of SBA aims to ensure an efficient delivery system at border checkpoints without unnecessary complexities, he said, adding it was also geared towards ensuring effective coordination at the border and aimed to enhance the officers’ integrity.
— Bernama
