Muhyiddin: I support Sosma

(NST) – Umno vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he was never against the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) as it was meant to deal with offences deemed threatening to the country and public order.

In a statement yesterday, Muhyiddin explained that he only disagreed with the fact that the act was abused in the case of the detention of former Batu Kawan Umno member Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan and lawyer Matthias Chang.

He said their actions on lodging reports alleging misconduct on the part of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) to authorities outside the country was not an act of sabotage under Section 124L of the Penal Code, an offence which allows the use of SOSMA.

“My stand is still the same. I support SOSMA as it is used to deal with offences that threaten public peace and order. I only disagree to Khairuddin and Matthias being held under it as this is contrary to the main purpose of the act.

“Were they not just meeting their obligations as concerned citizens?,” he said in the statement. Muhyiddin added that his stand was in line with the government position which guaranteed that the act would not be misused for other purposes, especially for politically motivated issues or to placate and restrict the freedom to express and provide insights.

He was responding to statements made against him by certain parties that said he was against SOSMA.