Govt studying proposals to improve Sosma

 

PARLIAMENT | Putrajaya is studying proposals to improve the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), the Dewan Rakyat was told.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry was holding discussions and workshops to study the proposals.

"Interested parties including NGOs, academics, community groups and others are involved in the process," he said.

Saifuddin (above) was responding to a question from P Prabakaran (Harapan-Batu), who enquired if the government will abolish or review Sosma.

Sosma allowed for up to 28-day detention without trial for those suspected of "security offences" - which critics said was not clearly defined and thus subject to abuse.

Section 30 of the law has also attracted criticism because it allowed for a person tried under the law to be held in detention "pending exhaustion of the trial process".

In contrast, a murder suspect will enjoy freedom upon acquittal by the lower courts.

In December last year, Malaysiakini had reported on the plight of three dozen people who are still held under Sosma while pending trial under different laws.

Pakatan Harapan's manifesto does not promise any reforms for Sosma, but many Harapan MPs have urged Saifuddin to review the controversial law. - Mkini