‘No more excuse’: Guan Eng tells Anwar to reform Sosma in three months, match urgency on Mara Act

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — DAP veteran Lim Guan Eng today urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to amend the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 within three months, saying Putrajaya should show the same urgency it has given to proposed amendments to the Mara Act.

In a statement, Lim said Anwar had opposed Sosma while in the Opposition, but has not shown the same urgency in reforming the law since becoming prime minister.

“There is no more excuse for Anwar not to amend Sosma within 3 months to remove oppressive and draconian provisions to showcase the unity government’s commitment to institutional reforms aligned with fundamental human rights and the rule of law,” he said.

Anwar had recently ordered amendments to the Majlis Amanah Rakyat Act 1966 to be completed within three months, as part of efforts to strengthen governance in the Bumiputera agency.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi later said the draft amendment could be brought to Cabinet within three weeks, ahead of Anwar’s deadline.

Lim cited Anwar’s role in March 2022, when he led the Opposition bloc in rejecting the extension of Section 4(5) of Sosma, which allows detention of up to 28 days for investigation without court access.

He also pointed to the case of a 16-year-old girl detained under Sosma for nine days from January 14 to January 23 this year.

“This experience for the young girl must be traumatic for her and her mother. The teen suffered vomiting and developed skin allergies during her detention in Kedah,” he said.

He questioned why the bail exception under Section 13 of Sosma appeared not to have been applied for the girl

Section 13 of Sosma generally bars bail for those charged with security offences, but allows exceptions for those below 18, women, or sick or infirm persons.