New ‘toothless’ gang laws will not change anything, says former home minister

Former home minister Umar Naseer criticized the new anti-gang laws enacted by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu this week, describing it as “toothless” provisions that will not produce any change.

The new legislature replaces the previous Anti-Gang Crime Act which was enacted in 2010. Speaking to reporters after signing the bill into law in a ceremony at his office on Sunday morning, President Muizzu promised a strong and indiscriminate response to curbing gang-related crimes.

But former home minister Umar, known for his hardline policies in combatting crime, doubts the new laws carry any weight.

In an episode on SSTV’s ‘Baaru Hathareh’ on Sunday night, Umar expressed concern that key provisions included in the original bill were later omitted.

Umar believes the most crucial provision left out from the final legislature is the provision that defines “gangs”.

The failure to define “gangs” renders the rest of the provision on the Act ineffective, he said.

Umar explained that a person can only be punished as a gangster if they belong to a gang. And establishing that a person belongs to a gang requires establishing what a gang is.

“Defining it in the law that a certain type of group is a gang – this is the most crucial provision. According to the draft [bill], this was to be decided by a three-member committee. Making this decision by a three-member committee from the government, from the law enforcement – this was the most crucial provision,” he said.

Umar said that the new Anti-Gang Crime Act now in force leaves it to the courts to decide that a gang is.

He said that the courts cannot do it.

“Look at all countries that are successfully combating gangs. Look at Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Gangs aren’t determined by courts. If courts were to determine gangs, it simply cannot be done,” he said.

Umar questioned how authorities can prove that a certain group is a gang based on normal procedures.

He said that the Anti-Gang Crime Act ratified on Sunday is “toothless, lacks firmness and will not produce any results.”

Umar does not believe a gang can be held accountable by the existing court system.

He said that gangs will continue to operate, and parliamentarians, government officials and political parties will continue to back such criminal organizations.