KUALA LUMPUR: Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo (pix) has stressed that any provisions of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) that are ‘oppressive and draconian’ in nature should be amended or abolished.
Gobind said he would raise this matter at the cabinet meeting tomorrow.
“I think we have taken the stand, not only now but from before, that there are provisions in Sosma which are oppressive and draconian,” he told reporters after meeting family representatives of Sosma detainees outside Parliament building, here today.
“We have a law which allows for a 28-day detention without giving any rights to the detainees to be brought before a court, and for the court to decide yes or no on its extension or otherwise. This is an unusual matter and is regarded as oppression,” said Gobind.
He said that under Sosma there is no provision for bail after a suspect has been charged in court.
“Even if they win the case they will still be held until the appeal process is completed,” said Gobind, who is a lawyer by training.
He said this provision has been deemed unfair from before and should be amended or abolished as soon as possible.
“Although we are now in the government, it has been used for new cases,” he said.
He said the people could evaluate what the government is implementing and it is important for the amendments to be made soon.
Earlier, about 50 family representatives of five Sosma detainees, led by the wife of Gadek state assemblyman, V. Umah Devi, gathered outside Parliament to hand over a memorandum to the government to protest the use of Sosma and detention without trial.
The memorandum was received by a senior officer of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker. - Bernama
