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Najib Razak before election promise to reform

media and security laws draconian greeted cautiously by advocates

Prime Minister of Malaysia announced its intention to remove the draconian laws of the country's security and release controls the media, in that it presented a bold reform package in bold.

But activists and experts Najib Razak welcomed the announcement of caution, warning that if the measures were a step in the change and the impact of new laws must be seen. The move is seen as an attempt to build support before the elections, Najib under pressure from both inside and outside the National Front coalition in power.

The decision comes two months after police arrested hundreds and tear gas, while a crowd of 20,000 showed an electoral reform in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, the largest political rally in the country for years.

colonial era Internal Security Act (ISA), in which 37 people were held, and the emergency ordinance, under which 6000 are achieved, allowing indefinite detention without trial. Najib said he would be replaced by anti-terrorist suspects to provide more protection. He promised: "Malaysia will not be arrested or detained because of their political affiliation or ideas."

In a televised speech Thursday night, said: "Many will wonder if I'm going too far too fast ... There may be short term pain for me politically, but in the long-term changes I am announcing tonight, assure him a bright and prosperous future for all Malaysians. "

Najib also said that the media should be approved once, instead of requiring licenses to be renewed annually - a system that critics say was used to hold off. He pledged to revise the laws of police in controlling the assembly and legislation to restrict civil liberties.

Dr Graham Brown, director of the Centre for Development Studies at the University of Bath, is more skeptical. "I think at the time that most people in Malaysia will probably take this with a pinch of salt ... He did not hesitate to use draconian powers the law allows," said Brown, a specialist in Malaysia .

said that while the ISA was the "owner" repressive law, others had a greater impact in the restriction of people's daily lives and liberties, adding: "He ' is not clear at this point is not the will or commitment to continue reform of the broader set of laws. "
Tony

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