KUALA LUMPUR — The federal government has no plans to repeal the contentious Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), said Deputy Law and Institutional Reform Minister Ramkarpal Singh.
Ramkarpal said the government will instead be looking at ways to refine the law, including by introducing amendments to certain features of the legislation.
“There are two recommendations (that the ministry) will be putting forth. In the process of improving Sosma, not everything will be done at once as things will progress in stages,” he said when met by reporters in Putrajaya today.
“At this stage, we’re looking at some aspects of Sosma, one of which is on the issue of bail.
“A repeal (of Sosma) is not in the pipeline, we’re looking at improvements,” he added.
The controversial aspects of Sosma include a 28-day detention period without the need to produce suspects before a judge and limits on the provision of bail.
Besides that, Ramkarpal, who is also Bukit Gelugor MP, said engagement sessions with relevant stakeholders to review Sosma provisions have been “more or less” completed.
“For now, we’ll bring our suggestions to the higher authorities for their consideration and further action. There is no timeline as such, but as I said, the groundwork is more or less done. Now, we are preparing the summary.”
Previously, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the Home Ministry is in the midst of holding engagement sessions involving stakeholders including the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), civil societies and individuals.
The latest development comes after Saifuddin said the unity government does not intend to repeal the act, but will instead work towards amending it as police still need the law to take immediate action to avoid public alarm and threats to the nation. — August 23, 2023