Malaysia’s government must flesh out its plan to overhaul oppressive security laws before a victory for human rights can be declared, opposition figures and activists said Friday.
Ahead of expected elections, Prime Minister Najib Razak said Thursday he would repeal a law allowing detention without trial, which campaigners said was a potential watershed validating decades of campaigning for civil liberties.
Amnesty International called it a “significant step forward for human rights” in the Muslim-majority country, while the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia praised Najib’s “historic and bold decision”.
But with memories of a crackdown on a rally for electoral reform in July still fresh, government opponents demanded clarity on two new laws the premier said would replace the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and other legislation.
