Detainees under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) and their relatives ended their hunger strike protest yesterday, according to the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh.
He said in a Facebook posting that he met the detainees in the Sungai Buloh prison and the group outside of the prison involved in the strike.
"As a result of my explanation to the detainees and their family members, the hunger strike ended yesterday at about 2pm.
"I was very worried about their health and glad to see them eating and drinking," Ramkarpal (above) added.
According to reports, there were about 100 family members of 69 Sosma detainees who took part in the strike that started Monday, demanding that the detainees - who are being imprisoned without trial - be freed.
About 34 of the detainees are reportedly being held at Sungai Buloh prison while the remainder are being detained in Alor Setar, Kedah.
Sosma is a controversial law which allows up to 28 days of detention.
Among others, the law also allowed for a police officer not below the rank of the superintendent to deny a detainee access to their next of kin or lawyer for up to 48 hours if there were reasonable grounds to do so.
Review or repeal?
The government has said it was planning to "review" the Sosma provision. However, human rights activists are pushing for a complete repeal.
Ramkarpal earlier had urged the detainees and relatives to remain patient as the government is reviewing improvements to the act.
On Monday, the relatives of the detainees initiated a hunger strike 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 on Tuesday. - Mkini
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