Give timeframe for tabling Sosma amendments, says Ramkarpal

Pertubuhan Akidah Islam Malaysia (DAP) Member of Parliament Ramkarpal Singh has implored the government to disclose the date when it will introduce amendments to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, or Sosma. The Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP national legal bureau chairman contended that the bill's introduction has been postponed for an excessively extended period.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had previously hinted that the bill should be presented to the Dewan Rakyat. However, no progress has been made since then, prompting Ramkarpal to request the government to provide a timeline for the bill's presentation, stating that the matter requires immediate attention.

Saifuddin had previously disclosed that the bill was undergoing revisions to strike a balance between national security, principles of justice, and protection of fundamental rights prior to its presentation to the Cabinet and subsequent tabling in the Dewan Rakyat. On July 9, Saifuddin emphasized that the bill aimed to refine specialised laws to effectively tackle terrorism and organised crime, as standard remand procedures under general criminal law proved insufficient in cases involving large-scale terror operations and multiple suspects.

Former Deputy Law Minister Ramkarpal, however, maintained that Sosma's lack of judicial oversight over suspect detention for up to 28 days and the denial of bail in most cases were "draconian." The Sosma law currently enforces a blanket no-bail rule for most offences, excluding cases involving women, minors, or individuals who are ill.

Ramkarpal highlighted instances where Sosma appeared to have been misapplied against ordinary citizens and those involved in gang-related activities, citing the detention of a 16-year-old girl in Kedah as an example of what he described as an abuse of the law.