KL police fight porn peddlers

KL police fight porn peddlers

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Malaysian police will use a law allowing
detention without trial against peddlers of pornography who have
threatened officers enforcing a nationwide crackdown.

Over the past month, senior officials responsible for a
clampdown on street stalls selling illegal and pornographic video
compact disks have received death threats from gangs involved in
the trade.

Ramly Yussuf, director of the police Criminal Investigations
Department, was cited by The Star newspaper Friday as saying
authorities were fed up with the threats and will invoke an
emergency ordinance to detain without trial anyone menacing
enforcement officers.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad last month ordered a
nationwide crackdown on pornography, saying he is worried over
its effects on society.

Ramly said that more than 770 people have been arrested so far
in the crackdown. Lawmakers have pledged to tighten anti-porn
laws, which have mostly been punishable by fines, to curb sexual
abuse and violence.