Citation Act 297 | Territorial extent Throughout Malaysia | |
Date enacted 1959 (F.M. Ordinance No. 13 of 1959)
Revised: 1983 (Act 297 w.e.f. 19 January 1984) Date effective 1 April 1959, L.N. 85/1959 | ||
The Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Malay: Akta Pencegahan Jenayah 1959) is a Malaysian law which enacted to deal with crime prevention and for the control of criminals, members of secret societies, terrorists and other undesirable persons. Persons detained under the Act were not precluded from making a claim 'Habeas Corpus' (a court order to release the person detained is not in accordance with legal procedures that should be). Originally, POCA only came into force in peninsular Malaysia.
The act is necessary to stop action by a substantial body of persons both inside and outside Malaysia to cause, or to cause a substantial number of citizens to fear, organized violence against persons or property.
Structure
The Prevention of Crime Act 1959, in its current form (1 December 2015), consists of 5 Parts containing 23 sections and 3 schedules (including 12 amendments).