LIM Kit Siang has chided lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla for his statement attacking DAP over its stand on those detained under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) for purportedly promoting Tamil Eelam Liberation Tiger (LTTE).

The DAP adviser said Haniff should read Buku Harapan before he speaks about what Pakatan Harapan (PH) had promised in the 14th general election.

“Promise 27 (page 61) on ‘Abolish oppressive laws’ of Buku Harapan pledges that ‘The PH government will also abolish draconian provisions’ in Sosma.

“Haniff cannot be more wrong when he alleged that some DAP leaders, by the virtue of being part of the ruling government, was meddling in police affairs,” he said in a statement today. 

Yesterday, Haniff said in a video interview with Kelab Inspirasiku Mahathir uploaded on YouTube that DAP’s attacks on police investigations linked to LTTE were not doing the country’s image of upholding the rule of law any good.

He said such attacks also gave the impression that DAP, by the virtue of being part of the ruling government, is meddling in police affairs.

Lim said DAP leaders are adhering to the Buku Harapan in pressing for the abolition of the draconian provisions in Sosma.

He said this includes the denial of bail when a person is charged under Sosma and during the whole appeals period of the case, which could take years. 

“This in unacceptable as the courts must remand a person acquitted pending appeal upon an application by the public prosecutor.

“It is a major landmark judicial and constitutional development that Section 13 of Sosma which denied bail to detainees were declared unconstitutional by Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali. 

“It would have been better if this draconian and unconstitutional provision had been repealed by parliament before November 29, the date the matter was decided by Justice Nazlan as ‘unconstitutional’.”

He said Parliament has set up a Select Committee on Defence and Home Affairs to ensure that there is no police abuse of power as happened in the previous administration, when the doctrine of separation of powers was abused and Parliament could not perform its constitutional function.

“There should be suspension of all the Sosma provisions until Pakatan Harapan has completed its Buku Harapan pledge to repeal the “draconian” provisions in the law.

“DAP condemns terrorism of  any form and will provide unstinting support to the authorities to combat terrorism from whatever quarter.”

Lim said it is has been more than two months since the  detention of Malacca executive councillor G. Saminathan, Negri Sembilan assemblyman  P. Gunasekaran and eight others for terrorist links with LTTE.

“No concrete evidence had been provided by the police so far especially as LTTE had been defunct for nine years.

“The era when national security is the sole concern of the police is over as national security should be the concern of all patriotic Malaysians and members of Parliament.”

He said police should not act as in the past when the phrase “national security” could be abused not to protect national security, but for other motives and purposes. – December 22, 2019.