How is the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) effective if it targets gang runners and not leaders, asked Ragunath Kesavan.
The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) commissioner said those arrested under Sosma tend to be B40 Indians who are low-level runners instead of warlords or gang ringmasters.
“Why is it the runners or those lowest in the food chain that are always caught?” he asked, after a panel in Kuala Lumpur today.
Ragunath (above) called for legal reforms to be accelerated, including the repeal of Sosma and a possible special court to handle Sosma cases.
During the Dewan Rakyat sitting last month, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry is mulling the need for a special court to handle cases under Sosma.
He said this would prevent those detained under Sosma from having to wait too long as well as issues with bail.
As part of the Sosma review, he said a new special committee will be formed to refine suggestions received.
The committee’s findings to amend Sosma will then be presented to Parliament in the next sitting, Saifuddin added.
The week before, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told a press conference that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ordered the Home Ministry to review Sosma.
This came after family members of 32 Sosma detainees claimed authorities beat up the men in Sungai Buloh Prison recently.
This led to the detainees’ family holding a hunger strike in front of the prison on Feb 8. - FMT
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