KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition lawmakers did not pass up the opportunity to use the motion for the extension of the enforcement of Subsection 4(5) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) to disparage former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in the lower house.
During Muhyiddin’s (Pagoh-Bersatu) turn to debate the motion, several MPs from the opposition bloc lambasted the former home minister, calling him a traitor for his role in partaking in the Sheraton Move betrayal.
RSN Rayer (Jelutong-PH) called his former coalition colleague out for betraying the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition when Muhyiddin ordered for the arrest of DAP's Seremban Jaya assemblyman P. Gunasekaran and Gadek rep G. Saminathan over alleged links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
“Why did you betray us and cause our reps to be detained under Sosma? You were our home minister. Why didn’t you stand up for us? We were in the same coalition,” said Rayer.
“What made you instruct the DAP assemblymen to be arrested? Were you confident, at that time, that there was enough evidence that they were involved in terrorism and crimes that could threaten the state?
“You betrayed us!”
In response to Rayer’s snide remarks, Muhyiddin defended himself by saying that the arrest was made in accordance with due procedure and that the report was thoroughly investigated by police.
“No, we didn’t betray. Every decision that was made was based on police investigations. I could not tell the inspector-general of police that he lied, or that this is not true.”
In revealing that the PH administration never attempted to amend the controversial Sosma act, although being strongly against it, Khalid Samad (Shah Alam-PH) berated the Pagoh MP for suffering from “selective amnesia”.
Joining in the shouting match, Khalid, who was also federal territories minister at that time, reminded his former boss that the cabinet had decided to review Sosma and other sections under it.
“We even called in (Datuk) Ayob Khan (Mydin Pitchay) to provide an explanation and we asked for a review. Don’t try to lie. If you want to tell the story, tell the full story.
Ayob was the principal assistant director of the Counter-Terrorism Division (E8) of the Special Branch at that time.
Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (Larut-Bersatu) retabled the motion for the extension of the enforcement of Subsection 4(5) Sosma for another five years beginning this July 31.
Later, the motion to extend the enforcement of Subsection 4(5) of Sosma for another five years beginning this July 31 was passed in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The extension was passed via a bloc vote with 111 in support and 88 opposed, while 21 lawmakers were absent.
Subsection 4(5) of Sosma, among others, states that a police officer with the rank of superintendent or higher may extend the period of detention for a duration not exceeding 28 days for the purpose of investigation. – The Vibes, July 26, 2022
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