The Home Ministry plans to use the electronic monitoring device (EMD) on offenders charged under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 by end of next month.
Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail confirmed that the government had approved the use of EMDs to track organised and violent crime suspects to ensure they would not commit other crimes while out on bail.
"For me, the faster (this is implemented), the better. Of course, we would like to see this (device) used as soon as possible. We believe that it will be implemented by September," he told reporters after the Crime Prevention Forum, here today.
Abdul Gani (picture) was responding to a comment made by Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) senior analyst, Farah Intan Burhanudin, that the device would be used on suspects caught under Ops Cantas.
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She had said the device, used in many countries such as the United States (US) since 1994, would reduce the risk of repeat offenders and played a role in effective police enforcement.
"The device will also be cost effective as it will lead to reduced overcrowding in prisons," she said in her presentation on current and future initiatives taken by Pemandu to curb crime.
Gani, in his special address at the forum, said the country did not need preventive laws to curb serious crimes, as the nation had a good police force to handle crime effectively and efficiently.
"I have complete trust in the police to do their job without the need for preventive laws. This is proven when they (police) proved their capabilities in taking care of crimes, over the past few weeks.
"Therefore, I find it difficult to rationalise reasons on why we need to inroduce again preventive laws such as the Internal Security Act and Emergency Ordinance," he said.
Although the new preventive law to be tabled in Parliament in the next session, he said the Attorney-General's Chambers would review any amendment and input from various parties.
He noted that if the nation really needed preventive laws to fight serious crime, then a thorough study and proposal on these laws must be carefully considered.
Citing a violent crime case involving Botak Chin, Abdul Gani said the then Attorney General managed to solve the case and sentenced the criminal, without using any preventive laws (ISA or EO), but merely using ordinary laws.
Asked for his stand on re-introducing the EO, Abdul Gani said: "My stand remains the same."
Before this, he had stressed that existing laws were sufficient to tackle criminals, adding it was better to let more guilty people go free than to send the innocent to jail.
Commenting on the Court of Appeal's acquittal and discharge of two police special action unit personnel convicted by a High Court of murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaaribuu, Abdul Gani said: "I have already made the statement that I will file and appeal. I am waiting for the grounds of judgement, and carry on from there.
"I have given directions today, as it is a Saturday. Yesterday was the case. I have 10 days to file the appeal. It will be filed and it shall be appealed. There is no issue about it." — Bernama
