PARLIAMENT Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi skirted around an Umno MP's question whether the government had abused the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) when arresting former Umno leader Khairuddin Abu Hassan.

The question was posed today by Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Lenggong) as an accusation made by other parties.

“There are those who say the government has abused Sosma, which is a preventive measure, such as in Khairuddin's case... What is your comment?” Shamsul asked.

Zahid responded by saying that the question was actually from the opposition.

However, he did not answer the allegation that Sosma had been abused, and only explained that it was a procedural law and read out offences under the act.

This included Section 124L of the Penal Code for attempted sabotage, the crime Khairuddin and his lawyer Matthias Chang had been charged with.

Previously, Zahid said the duo's arrest was the police's own decision without influence from the government or other agencies.

Khairuddin and Chang are being charged with attempting to sabotage the country's banking and financial services sector.

This is in relation to police reports Khairuddin lodged against 1MDB overseas.

The use of Sosma has been criticised by both BN and opposition leaders, including former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who said the law is meant to thwart terrorism.