KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 – DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the historic rejection in the Dewan Rakyat today of the government’s bid to extend the provision on the maximum 28-day detention without trial under Sosma for another five years, did not contravene the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Opposition with the government.
At the Dewan Rakyat today, the government failed in its bid to extend the enforcement of sub-section 4(5) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 with a total of 86 Opposition Members of Parliament voting against the extension while 84 from the ruling bloc supported it.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun made the historic announcement: “The motion that was tabled earlier is not passed.”
A total of 50 MPs were not present at today’s sitting.
In an interview with Ubah.TV streamed live in Facebook later the day, DAP’s new secretary general said the decision by PH MPs to vote against the extension of the Sosma provision did not threaten the MoU.
He said the coalition had not gone against its obligation in the MoU, and added that there had been no prior discussion between the government and the Opposition on the motion.
Home minister Hamzah Zainudin had tabled the motion, seeking the Dewan Rakyat to extend the enforcement of sub-section 4(5) for another five years beginning from July 31.
If the motion had been passed, the police will be able to detain, without trial, a person suspected of being involved in terrorist activities for a period not exceeding 28 days for investigations.
–WE