SHAH ALAM, 6 May: The Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 is the incarnation of the draconian laws of the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Senator Dr Syed Husin Ali said that some features of the abolished ISA were inserted into its replacement, Sosma, and were accompanied by the assurance that the new law would not be used against people on grounds of their political beliefs
However, Syed Husin said, this assurance has turned out to be delusive because “just the other day, an activist belonging to Malaysian Youth Solidarity (SAMM) was arrested under Sosma.
Saiden Muslimin Ismail, 24, was arrested under Section 4 (1) of the SOSMA last week by the Anti-Terrorism Police Division, Special Branch, Bukit Aman.
“As far as we know, Seidin is a political detainee and not a security threat. Hence it is not permissible that he should be held under Sosma.
“First of all, we cannot be sure that what the police say about the detained suspects and of their links to terror plots is true.
“Secondly, we should not abandon the consensus that has now settled around the belief that detention without trial is an abomination that a democracy must not abide,” he said, quoted from Malaysiakini.
Thus, the former ISA detainee explained that the real intention of repealing the law for detention without trial, as announced by the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, in 2012 is meaningless.
Syed Husin warned to be wary of any Act, particularly those in relation to security, because detaining someone without trial can be done by law.
“If insurrectionary, they are a threat to security, but if merely heretical, they should be allowed in a democracy and countered by argument, debate and enlightenment.
“Not by repression through detention without trial,” said Dr Syed Husin.
