Sosma and Poca to stay, says Muhyiddin

(FMT) – Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today announced that the government would keep two security laws that had come under scrutiny from Pakatan Harapan leaders.

He said a special committee to look into the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act and the Prevention of Crime Act (Amendment), known by their acronyms Sosma and Poca, would be maintained, with some amendments.

“If the current laws are not maintained, there will be those who think they are free to do anything and threaten the country through gangsterism and terrorism,” Muhyiddin said in his speech at the PPBM general assembly today.

“That is why we use the current laws with police and other authorities implementing them fully,” he said.

The government had earlier imposed a moratorium on Sosma and Poca, as well as on two other laws criticised by rights groups as draconian, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) and Sedition Act.

Since coming to power in the May polls, the government has assured that the four laws would be reviewed and if necessary abolished.

But early this month, the Cabinet agreed to allow police to probe the violence at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Selangor under these laws.