Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh has urged the relatives of detainees under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) to remain patient as the government is reviewing improvements to the act.
The relatives of the detainees initiated a hunger strike yesterday outside the Sungai Buloh prison to demand the release of their family members, who are imprisoned without trial.
“At this time, suggestions to improve Sosma are being reviewed with the Home Ministry, the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
“As such, efforts to examine improvements to Sosma according to the times are indeed ongoing and I am confident that the recommendations will be brought for the government's consideration shortly.
“I request for all the relatives of the detainees under Sosma who are staging a hunger strike to continue being patient and to end their strike while the process of law reforms is ongoing, and for the sake of the small children seen to be present outside the Sungai Buloh prison,” Ramkarpal said in a statement today.
The deputy minister added that engagement sessions on this matter, which he chairs, have started since February with stakeholders, including some of the family members on hunger strike.
A total of 12 engagement sessions in six phases have been carried out thus far across the country.
It was reported yesterday that about 100 family members of 69 Sosma detainees were on hunger strike outside the prison.
About 34 detainees are reportedly being held at Sungai Buloh while the remainder are in Alor Setar, Kedah.
Sosma is a controversial law which allows up to 28 days of detention.
While the government has said it was planning to review Sosma provisions, human rights activists have been pushing for a complete repeal. - Mkini
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