The attack by Islamic State (Isis) militants in downtown Jakarta on January 14 resulted in the deaths of 8 people, with at least 20 people injured. – Reuters pic, January 22, 2016.Indonesia is to emulate a Malaysian law in making its anti-terror legislation tougher.
Coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the country was looking at Malaysia's anti-terror law, referring to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota).
"We understand that Malaysia has a security act to maintain peace in the country. The form (of the Indonesian law to be amended) will be similar," he was quoted as saying by Indonesian media.
He had said that the Indonesian government wanted a law that authorised the police to arrest any individual suspected to be involved in terrorism activities.
The Malaysian law was found to be effective in fighting terrorism activities at the preliminary stage, he was quoted as saying.
Pota has several key provisions, which include detaining suspected terrorists for up to two years with a possibility of a further two years’ extension, electronic monitoring device being attached to the detainee, and the administration of various preventive measures to deradicalise suspects.
Luhut had said that the national leadership wanted the anti-terror law amended and the government hoped that the debate on the proposed amendment would not be prolonged.
He said the government wanted the police to be empowered to make arrests to obtain information from suspected terrorists as a preventive measure against militant attacks.
Their detention for investigation for a week or two weeks could help authorities to conduct effective operations against terrorists, he said.
Indonesia was shocked on January 14 with a terrorist attack, believed to be by Islamic State (Isis) militants, at a shopping mall in the heart of Jakarta.
Eight people died in the attack, four of them terrorists who were killed by police fire. – Bernama, January 22, 2016.
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