AS EXPECTED, IT’S MAHATHIR – PM COMES OUT FULLY BEHIND POLICE USE OF ‘SOSMA’ AGAINST DAP REPS: ‘I AM SATISFIED WHY THEY TOOK THAT ACTION’ – BUT HOW CAN SUCH A MAN BE LEADER OF NEW MALAYSIA?

DR Mahathir Mohamad said he backs police’s use of preventive laws to arrest 12 people suspected of having links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The prime minister said he is satisfied with the force’s action.

“Police briefed me on this matter. They have their own reasons to act against the suspects.

“I am satisfied with the police action, and (the reason) why they took that action,” he told reporters after an event in Kota Damansara today.

Last week, police arrested 12 men, including DAP reps G. Saminathan and P. Gunasekaren, on suspicion of promoting, supporting, channelling funds to and possessing materials related to LTTE.

All are being held under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), which allows for detention up to 28 days.

DAP leaders have complained about the use of Sosma, which allows for detention without trial, in the LTTE probe.

Special Branch Counterterrorism Division principle assistant director Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay yesterday said police will continue tracking down people with links to the defunct terror group, regardless of their political affiliation.

Also yesterday, Dr Mahathir said police should be allowed to do their job, and that no political party was targeted in the arrests.

Today, the prime minister defended the use of Sosma in the case, saying the cops have to invoke the act “in the absence of other laws that can be used”.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT