ANTI-TERROR laws in Malaysia have made it possible for police to act early against terror suspects, thus, averting tragedies, said Bukit Aman counterterrorism chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

He was commenting on Putrajaya’s proposal to ban the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) to protect human rights.

He denied that Sosma was used to abuse human rights, saying it was an effective tool to curb terrorism.

“Using Sosma, we are allowed to act at an early stage. We can strike early to prevent any act of terrorism. Sosma gives us that.

“When you are planning (a terror act), we can detain you, when you come back from Syria (after undergoing terrorist training), we can detain you, when you plan to go to Syria, we can detain you.

“This is unlike other countries. They can’t act (early), and when they decide to act, it is always too late.”

He singled out eight Malaysians who recently returned home after undergoing terrorist training in Syria.

“We arrested them at the airport, charged them, and now, they are in jail. We are lucky we have such a strong law,” he told the press during the second annual meeting of The International Association of Counterterrorism and Security Professionals Asean Security Symposium in Kuala Lumpur today.

He rebutted claims that Sosma was used to abuse detainees. Citing Indonesia as an example, he said the country allowed police to detain a suspect for 260 days without trial.

He said there was no such thing as detention without trial, pointing out that of the 420 arrests made under Sosma, 185 were charged, 148 convicted, 33 arrested under the Prevention of Crime Act, and 47 detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Ayob Khan said 42 detainees were deported to their country of origin, while another 100 suspects were released.

“The law is used accordingly if you look at the statistics.”

However, he said, the counterterrorism unit, as a law enforcement agency, would abide by the government’s decision.

“We are a law enforcement agency. We will abide by the government’s decision.

“Do I disagree? I have no comment, but like when ISA (Internal Security Act) was abolished, initially, we had problems, but later, we adapted and worked it out.

“We will work it out again this time.”

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin yesterday said he supported the proposal to abolish Sosma as it was a “form of tyranny”.

He also said a special committee had been set up to study matters relating to the law.

Hanipa spoke to reporters after visiting Sosma detainees and their families at Sg Buloh Prison, where the detainees were on a hunger strike that has since ended.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas previously said Sosma would be abolished, as promised by the Pakatan Harapan government, but it would take some time. – August 27, 2018.