Suaram has urged the government to publicise its list of all organisations suspected of having terror links together with reasons for the label.
Suaram coordinator Amir Abdul Hadi said the move would prevent the public from being unknowingly involved with the groups and eventually find themselves being detained without trial under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) or other anti-terror laws.
"One of our suggestions is for the government to publicise its list of alleged terror-linked organisations declared as a 'specified entity' under Section 66B(1)," said Amir who cited a provision under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (Amla) Act 2001.
"Not only that, but also the mechanism used to label these groups as terrorist organisations.
"Otherwise, maybe one day, even Suaram could suddenly find ourselves on the terror-linked list," Amir told a joint press conference with other human rights NGOs and individuals at Suaram's office in Petaling Jaya.
Suaram, together with the other groups including Amnesty International Malaysia and PSM, also reiterated calls for the government to repeal Sosma and the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) 1959 as well as draconian elements of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) 2015.
PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan said the groups' call today was a continuation of the struggle to abolish the former Internal Security Act (ISA) that also provided for detention without trial.
"Sosma has all the DNA of the ISA," he stressed.
He pointed out that in most cases, police would claim to have sufficient evidence against a suspect detained under Sosma.
"So why don't they (the police) move to press charges against them?" asked Arutchelvan who pointed out that human rights groups in their past recommendations to the government had cited various provisions including under the Penal Code which could be applied to replace detention under Sosma.
Lawyer Khairul Naim Rafidi, meanwhile, said there were also issues of evidence admissible under a Sosma charge.
"A person detained and charged under Sosma will not be able get due justice in court," he said.
Among others, Suaram highlighted Section 18, 18A and 19 of Sosma that allows for the use of statements from a person who have passed away, from persons not present in court as well as uncorroborated statements from young children.
The groups' latest call was made in light of the series of recent arrests of 12 individuals under Sosma for alleged connections to Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a now-defunct militant separatist movement. - Mkini
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