Hamzah: Backbenchers deliberately left before Sosma motion because 'they did not like my face'

KUALA LUMPUR: Some government backbenchers left Parliament during the motion on the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), claims Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (pic).

The Larut MP said he was shocked to see these MPs leaving when the vote was called.

When asked if any reason was given to him (for them leaving) Hamzah replied, "they did not like my face."

"Such people are not thinking of their responsibility and the interest of the country.

"I have said this before, the Sosma issue is a matter of national security," he told reporters at the Police Training Centre on Friday(March 25).

He said those who opposed its claim they loved the country but they don't realise that Sosma was implemented after the Internal Security Act (ISA) was repealed.

"When the ISA was repealed, organised crime saw an increase. That was when we realised there must be an instrument in place to combat it.

"In the end, we made a compromise by implementing the 28 day detention period," he said, adding that the 28 day detention procedure would no longer be valid come July this year.

He said this meant that if any large syndicate was crippled, they would need to use the Criminal Procedure Code and bring them to face a Magistrate.

"What would happen? These criminals might be able to destroy evidence.

"This is why the 28 day detention period is necessary so that we can find the chain of evidence," he said.

When asked, Hamzah said he was disappointed with some of the government MP's actions to leave the Dewan Rakyat.

"I know some of them who were already in the dewan. I can name them.

They just left when voting began. That's not fair," he said.