PETALING JAYA: The rights of detainees must remain a main consideration under the proposed amendments to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012, says Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram).
In welcoming the government's commitment to review Sosma, its executive director, Sevan Doraisamy, said in order to find a balanced and rights-based approach, it is crucial for the special committee to review the matter to include relevant non-government stakeholders, such as civil society organisations (CSOs) and criminologists, alongside ministry representatives
and law enforcement.
"Limiting discussions to security agencies alone risks the serious right to fair trial violations enabled by Sosma being unaddressed," he said in a statement on Wednesday (Feb 19).
Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry has outlined three key directions for improving the Act.
"First, the government will review the classification of offences under Sosma, particularly strictly non-bailable offences and non-bailable offences where bail may be granted at the court’s discretion, based on the severity of the offence.
"The Act currently covers 73 offences. We will reassess which should remain strictly non-bailable and which should allow courts the discretion to grant bail," said the Home Minister during a ministerial briefing on Sosma in the Dewan Rakyat.
Suaram said that the establishment of a special Sosma court is a critical measure to address case backlogs; for instance, a review of due process safeguards, including evidentiary standards, can be concurrently undertaken to ensure that fair trial rights are strengthened for detainees.
"Suaram looks forward to concrete steps from the Home Ministry in ensuring an inclusive,
timely and transparent review process of Sosma, leading to meaningful amendments tabled
by the July parliamentary sitting.
"The government's early efforts in 2023 to consult multisectoral stakeholders about the Sosma amendments were a crucial step forward, the momentum that was recently regained must now be translated into decisive action," he said
