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 such as 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 reporters at the 2023 Important Target Star Rating Awards Appreciation Ceremony here 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.
He said other actions taken by the ministry to improve aspects of 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 is aimed at ensuring an efficient delivery system at border checkpoints without unnecessary complexities, he said, adding that it was also geared towards ensuring effective coordination at the border and aims to enhance the integrity of officers. — Bernama
