Ask Putrajaya about Sosma review committee, says Gani

Former attorney-general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail suggests that more people read the Hansard detailing the prime minister’s speech on the security bill, Sosma. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Wan Asraf, November 4, 2015.

The Bar Council‎ and Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) should ask Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to keep his promise to set up a committee to review the controversial Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), former attorney-general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said yesterday.

Najib had promised to set up the committee, Gani said, when the prime minister tabled the Sosma Bill in 2012.

Reading excerpts from the Dewan Rakyat Hansard of Najib’s speech during the tabling of the law three years ago, Gani said the committee would, among others, consist of representatives from the Bar Council and Suhakam.

“You should be asking, where is the committee‎? Where is the committee to do check and balances? Sometimes, they need to be reminded,” Gani said at a forum organised by the Bar Council titled “Sosma: Wolf in sheep’s clothing?” in Kuala Lumpur last night.

“The committee is supposed to review Sosma and suggest recommendations.”

Gani said it was important for everyone to read the Hansard, expressing incredulity that the Dewan Rakyat document, which was easily available on the Parliament website, was hardly looked at.

“It is important for everyone to read the Hansard because the prime minister, as a promoter of the bill, had made a very important speech.

“Unfortunately, the Hansard is there on the Parliament website but people don’t read it. I don’t know why.”

Gani also mentioned the “sunset clause” the prime minister had promised, which refers to provisions in Sosma which ‎must be reviewed every five years.

“If it is not debated in both houses in Parliament, it will lapse on its own,” he said, without elaborating further.

‎Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, another speaker at the forum, said those detained under Sosma were punished even before the courts reached a verdict.

“No bail is offered pending the outcome of the trial.‎ Even if the court acquits the accused from a security offence, the prosecution can make an oral application to the judge to remand the accused pending appeal,” he said.

“This shows Parliament had encroached into the power of the judiciary by enacting such provisions under Sosma.”

- TMI