IT’S DRACONIAN! ANWAR UPSET WITH USE OF SOSMA IN ALLEGED TAMIL TIGERS ARRESTS – ‘IT IS TOO HARSH. WE HAVE IN THE PAST OPPOSED THIS LAW’

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said the detention of 12 individuals under Special Offences (Security Measures) Act (Sosma) is too harsh (terlalu keras).

Falling short of describing the act as draconian, he said the law needs to be amended, especially on the powers vested in the police.

“We have opposed in the past the issues with the law people are bringing up now,” Anwar told reporters after officiating the state PKR convention in Bukit Mertajam.

He was asked to respond to reports that four former PKR members were part of 12 people arrested, including two DAP elected representatives, for alleged links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Liberation Tiger (LTTE).

Although defunct in 2009, Bukit Aman which carried out the dragnet beginning Oct 11, said the police have evidence of their alleged involvement with the group.

While Anwar is not aware of the arrests of four former PKR members yesterday, he said PKR leaders have raised the issue in Parliament.

“Sometimes there is confusion. Sometimes people say we take matters of violence too easily.

“In any country, when given the mandate to rule, we leave this matter in the hands of police to safeguard our safety and to deal with violence, regardless of whichever group they come from.

“If there is any reason for the police to be more aggressive or firm to combat violence, I agree,” he added.

On Oct 10, the police nabbed Malacca exco member G Saminathan and Seremban Jaya assemblyperson P Gunasekaran.

More arrests are expected in the coming days, according to Bukit Aman Special Branch’s Counter-Terrorism Division chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

Police have 28 days to probe the matter under Sosma but those who condemned the arrest and opposed the law said if the force had any proof, the suspect must be tried in open court and not detained without trial.

MKINI