THE Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) should be reviewed and fined tuned, not abolished, said Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu 

He said Sosma needed to be reviewed to prevent abuse.

“Sosma does not need to be abolished. In my opinion, it needs to be improved from time to time, to prevent abuse,” he told reporters at the parliament lobby.  

Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, cited the arrest of Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah during the Barisan Nasional government as an example of the preventive detention law’s abuse. 

Chin was arrested in 2016 for her part in organising a rally calling for electoral reform in Kuala Lumpur. 

After BN lost power last year, she sued the government and police over he arrest. That suit was resolved in February, after the government agreed to pay damages.

“Maria was only involved in the Bersih rally. Things like this shouldn’t happen. So, the act needs to be amended,” Mohamad told reporters in the parliament lobby today.

Asked about the arrest of 12 people over alleged links to defunct Sri Lankan terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mohamad said he trusted police would thoroughly investigate the matter.

“I am sure police will be more careful handling this case. Hope they follow the rules,” he said.

Two DAP lawmakers – Gadek assemblyman G. Saminathan, who is also a Malacca executive councillor, and Seremban Jaya assemblyman P. Gunasekaran – were among the first of the 12 to be detained.

The arrests took place on Thursday and Saturday in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

Sosma for allows detention for up to 28 days without a charge.

This morning, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Pakatan Harapan politicians had to understand that the changing situation in the country has compelled police to use Sosma to fight terror. – October 15, 2019.