No review, says Saifuddin amid storm over Sosma

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today maintained his position against any need to review the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 or Sosma for the time being. 

Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya, he said laws are dynamic, not static, and that Sosma could still be reviewed and amended from time to time. 

"This is why we have Parliament to enact and amend the existing laws," he said. 

"That is the mechanism that exists in our country. We need to respond according to need from time to time. Does it need to be amended right now? No. 

"Those are my principles and what I hold to for now," he said when asked to respond to the call by DAP's Gobind Singh Deo for him to reconsider his remarks on Sosma. 

Saifuddin had said at a press conference on Dec 13 that the government had no intention of reviewing Sosma.

He said Sosma allowed the court process to take place, and compared it to its predecessor, the Internal Security Act, saying that under Sosma, the period is "only 28 days". 

He also said that arrests under Sosma were only done on "reliable intelligence and evidence". 

Gobind, the Damansara MP, had asked Saifuddin to reconsider his position, saying it was against the stand of Pakatan Harapan which had all along acknowledged Sosma as an oppressive law. 

The former communications and multimedia minister also suggested a review of several sections of Sosma, including Sections 6, 13, 14 and 18A.

Saifuddin agreed that there were several sections and clauses in Sosma that needed to be amended and studied by the home ministry. 

"Certain sections and clauses cannot remain there forever and should be given due consideration over time. 

"But at the moment, I say no, because I have only been at the ministry for two weeks."