Hishammuddin (Sembrong-BN) came under fire from opposition MPs when answering a question from Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee (Setiu-BN) on the government's commitment to review the ISA and other preventive detention laws under the Home Ministry's jurisdiction.
"The ministry is of the view that the time has come to review the appropriateness and efficacy of preventive detention laws to ensure that it is able to face increasingly challenging security threats and criminal activity," Hishammuddin said.
The home minister said it was necessary to update the legislation, which was established during the communist insurgency, in order to address current global security threats from international militant groups and cross-border criminals.
In a supplementary question, Dr Lo'Lo' Mohamad Ghazali (Titiwangsa-PAS) sought an answer on "the main issue" in preventive detentions, namely that the detainees were not brought to trial and given a chance to defend themselves.
Dr Lo'Lo' said: "This is a big sin of the Barisan Nasional (BN)", to which Hishammuddin said the BN government should not be blamed, as it was "saving" the opposition MPs as well.
Hishammuddin then replied that matters involving national security cannot be resolved quickly, sparking an exchange with Khalid Samad (Shah Alam-PAS).
"I will prove to Yang Berhormat that the review is being studied and will be tabled very soon," Hishammuddin said.
In reply, Khalid asked: "Can you involve us (the opposition) in this study?"
Hishammuddin said that among the points under review is the 60-day detention period and the possibility of limiting extensions to detention orders.
He also said the ministry was studying whether to introduce independent investigators and to amend the list of actions deemed threatening to national security.
Hishammuddin also took a swipe at the opposition, saying that they feared the government's review of the ISA because it would leave them without "political points" to attack BN with.
Speaking at a press conference later, Lim Kit Siang (Ipoh Timur-DAP) criticised Hishammuddin's answers as reflecting the "government knows best" attitude, which Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak pledged to end upon taking office.
"It is now two-and-a-half months (since the new cabinet took office) and he has not been able to say anything concrete about the ISA review.
"He talks about it as if ordinary citizens and the opposition do not care about national security… such a review must be a public review," Lim said.
Asked to comment on Lim's statement, Hishammuddin said the legislative review would involve all stakeholders including relevant departments, agencies and non-governmental organisations.
Hishammuddin also told the press conference that he hoped to table the amendments during the next parliament session in October. He said that the ISA was among 33 laws that his ministry was reviewing.
Meanwhile, in his answer to parliament, Hishammuddin also said there were currently 12 people, half of whom are Malaysian citizens, serving detention orders under the ISA.
Eight of the detainees were suspected militant group members while the other four were suspected of falsifying documents.