KUALA LUMPUR: A subsection of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), which has received criticism from the opposition, has been extended for five more years.
A bloc vote called by the opposition in the Dewan Rakyat today saw 111 votes for the extension and 88 against, with 21 members of parliament absent from the voting process.
The results of the vote were read out by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun.
On March 23, Putrajaya's first attempt to extend the enforcement of Section 4(5) of Sosma failed after the opposition successfully gathered enough votes to quash the bid.
However, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin last week tabled a motion to cancel the Lower House's decision made on March 23. The motion was approved on Wednesday.
Today, the motion was made to extend the effective period of Section 4(5) of Sosma, which grants police special powers to hold individuals detained under the act for up to 28 days, for another five years.
In his winding-up speech, Hamzah addressed several issues raised by the opposition, namely the possibility of the act being abused by the authorities to unnecessarily punish some politicians.
"This only covers offences committed against the nation and offences related to terrorism, organised crime, smuggling of migrants, as well as acts of terrorism committed abroad.
"I have already said that no one can be arrested under this subsection simply for (the person's) political belief and activities, which is why I am confident enough to give this assurance," he told the House.
Hamzah also cited a statement by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh), who had said the then Pakatan Harapan government, which he was a part of, had decided that Sosma was needed in the country.
"I can guarantee that what Pagoh said (is true). When I first became (home) minister, I revisited (the documents) on what the Malaysian government had previously said (on Sosma).
"The discussions (within PH then) indicated that the cabinet ministers at the time agreed that there is a need for Sosma and wanted to amend, among others, Subsection 4(3).
"If we can approve this motion, we can make amendments to Subsection 4(3) this October to make sure that Sosma (cannot be used) to arrest any politician."
Hamzah said Sosma should not be compared to the Internal Security Act 1960 as there were many differences between the two laws.
On the issue of detention without trial, he said, Sosma required the person detained to be charged if there was sufficient evidence as stated in Section 12 of the act and that all security offences must be tried by the High Court.