KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Amendments to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) must uphold the principles of justice and not allow for any abuse by the government, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
The PKR president and backbencher said he and the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) agree on the necessity for Sosma to counter terrorism in the country, but added that his personal experience with being detained without trial has made his wary of such preventive laws.
“We must ensure there are effective legislations to combat terror. We must also concern ourselves about the due process, the principle of justice and not give avenue to draconian provisions that can be abused,” he told reporters at Parliament.
The Port Dickson MP said he had experienced being held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) — abolished in 2012 — which had been meant to fight the spread of militant communism, but which was later used against political dissenters, trade union leaders and even student leaders.
Anwar was detained under the dreaded ISA for 20 months in 1974.
He said the authorities must be able to make distinctions between grave offenders and those venial faults to curb terrorism in Malaysia.
As example, he cited the case of Siti Aishah Atam, a student who was detained because the police found books and reading material linked to the Islamic State terrorist group in her room.
“If the case involves someone who throws bombs, then I have no sympathy. But if in the case involved, they are wearing ISIS shirt or WhatsApp conversations, I think we should not burden their whole family just because of one technical error,” he said.
“Police has to act professionally and we have to support them.
“The question is, the law was made under the previous government and are used for the new administration. That has to be rectified,” he stressed.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that his government will amend Sosma as soon as possible, following outcry against the recent arrests and charges of two PH lawmakers and several others accused of supporting last year a Sri Lankan separatist group that was destroyed in 2008.
