KUALA LUMPUR, 18 Aug 2008: The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) Bill
tabled at the current meeting of Parliament is not politically motivated, said Home
Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
He said the long overdue Bill was important to facilitate police investigations in solving criminal cases in future.
"It has nothing to do with the sodomy case involving Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The government drafted the bill as far back as 2001," he told reporters at Parliament’s lobby after the Bill was tabled for the first reading on 18 Aug.
Syed Hamid said the Bill was all encompassing for cases under the Penal
Code and anyone arrested or charged under the Code would be subjected to DNA testing.
Beside the provision for mandatory DNA testing for suspects, the Bill will also allow the setting up of a national DNA database, forensic DNA analysis, the use of DNA profiles and for any matter related to DNA. – Bernama
