MORE than 60 relatives of those detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) on hunger strike outside Sungai Buloh Prison in Selangor have ended their protest after a meeting with Deputy Law and Institutional Reform Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ramkarpal Singh yesterday.

“As a result of my brief to them, the families of those detained ended their fast at about 2pm.

“I was worried about their health and was relieved to see them eat and drink,” he said in a Facebook post.

The hunger strike, which began on Sunday, was in support of 69 detainees – 34 in Sungai Buloh Prison and 35 in Alor Setar Prison – calling for their release.

The protesters reportedly said some of their loved ones have been detained for three years without trial.

They demanded the detainees be released immediately.

Ramkarpal, soon after the strike began, put out a statement requesting the protesters end their strike as law reforms are underway.

The Najib Razak administration introduced Sosma when it repealed the Internal Security Act, which allowed for indefinite detention without trial.

Yesterday, Lawyers for Liberty condemned Sosma’s continued existence, saying Pakatan Harapan (PH) only wanted the law repealed while it was the opposition.

Its director Zaid Malek said the coalition made a U-turn upon assuming power.

“The position held by PH when it was in the opposition (was to repeal), which it immediately abandoned as soon as it obtained power.

“Barely a week after taking office, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail from PKR declared Sosma would be retained. It was the mother of all U-turns.

“It is abhorrent that the so-called reformist coalition is so quick to go back on its promises and principles upon gaining power, despite putting on a show to the Malaysian public that it was a proponent of the rule of law and fundamental liberties,” Zaid said. – August 3, 2023.