KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 ― The government has withdrawn a Bill seeking an extension for the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 from the current Dewan Rakyat sitting to next year.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the withdrawal yesterday was due to time constraints. Today is the last day the Dewan Rakyat will sit for this year.
“We still have time until next year, so we'll bring the extension in the next Parliament sitting,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here.
Sosma, which allows for detention without trial for 28 days, needs to be extended every five years to remain as law.
“This extension has nothing to do with events of the past week. The ministry had planned to bring this extension bill for some time,” he said.
Police invoked Sosma against Bersih 2.0 chief Maria Chin Abdullah after raiding the electoral reform group’s Petaling Jaya, Selangor office on November 18 for allegedly dubious foreign funding.
She has been on solitary confinement for six days now and can be kept in detention up until 28 days.
Police are also investigating Maria under Section 124C of the Penal Code for allegedly attempting to commit activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy.
