After Shanti's husband was detained under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 back in March, she was told he would be released after the maximum detention period of 28 days.

He was never freed. Twenty days after his arrest, Shanti's husband passed away in the lockup at the Shah Alam district police headquarters.

"I waited for my husband to be freed. One day, I was told to call the police and they told me, 'Your husband has passed away, please come collect his body'.

"The police said he (died because of a) fever he had for four days while in lockup," Shanti recounted to reporters outside the Sungai Buloh prison today.

Four months on, the 38-year-old mother of two claimed she has yet to receive any further explanation or even a postmortem report on her husband's death. 

As for why he was arrested in the first place, Shanti alleged the police merely told her they have the "power to detain whoever they suspect".

Shanti (photo), who declined to give her full name or her husband's, was one of about 200 family members of Sosma detainees gathered outside the Sungai Buloh prison today to protest the security law.

Detainees on hunger strike

They had come together in solidarity with 215 Sosma detainees being held at the Sungai Buloh prison, who had gone on a hunger strike since 8am yesterday. 

The detainees said that the hunger strike will go on until the new Pakatan Harapan government holds true to its promise to abolish the act.

"They will not stop until the government gives its word that Sosma will be abolished or they receive a discharge not amounting to an acquittal while the process of abolishing the law is ongoing.

"As long as there is no decision from the federal government, they will continue their hunger strike," Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, the president of NGO Ikhlas, told reporters. 

Lawyer Harpal Singh (photo), who is representing at least 19 of the Sosma detainees on the hunger strike, said he has written representation letters to the Attorney-General's Chambers on this matter.

In the letter, he requested the attorney-general to use his discretionary powers to grant a discharge not amounting to an acquittal to these Sosma detainees, as he argued that the new Harapan government had promised in its election manifesto to abolish "oppressive laws" including Sosma. 

The August 22 representation letter, and sighted by Malaysiakini, stated: "We believe that there is a strong likelihood that proceedings under Sosma will no longer be applicable.

"Therefore, we humbly plead that our clients should not continue to be wrongfully and maliciously detained under Sosma, taking into account the high certainty and probability that Sosma will be abolished."

Harpal said the discharge would allow the AGC to charge the detainees again at a later date, if necessary, be it under a different act or under Sosma once more if it is not abolished. 

Most of the Sosma detainees were arrested for alleged links to organised crimes.

'We are humans too' 

Gathered outside the Sungai Buloh prison, the family members of the detainees, which includes children, held up banners asking for Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's help to save their sons, husbands or fathers.

At one point during a photo session for the press, three middle-aged women standing in one corner of the crowd began yelling as emotions ran high.

"Do you think we are dogs? We are not allowed to go to court?" one of the women shouted.

"We are humans too. Prime minister, please help us," she later pleaded, wiping tears from her eyes. 

In 2012, then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had announced the repeal of the controversial Internal Security Act 1960 – which critics called superficial as it was almost immediately replaced by Sosma.

Under Sosma, an individual can be detained without warrant and is denied bail. The police can also delay family access and legal counsel for up to 48 hours after the arrest.

The act also allows a further maximum detention period of 28 days after the initial 48 hours.

An individual who is arrested under this act must also be kept in detention until all trials and appeals have been resolved.

Although abolishing the act had been one of Harapan's promises prior to the 14th general election, the new government then stated after GE14 that it was reviewing the act.

It was reported that the Home Ministry has set up a special committee, comprising the police, Suhakam and the Bar Council, to review existing security laws which are said to infringe upon human rights.  

Besides Sosma, other such laws being reviewed are the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota) and the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca).

'When to abolish Sosma, not if'

Around 2.30pm, the authorities advised the crowd to disperse, and most of them retreated to food stalls across the road. 

However, when Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa arrived at the prison around 3pm, the crowd surged back to the prison entrance.

The deputy minister spoke to an attentive crowd, who clamoured around him and had to be kept at bay by the police. 

“We have no problem (abolishing Sosma) because that is our (Harapan's) promise. The question is when,” he said. 

He then told the family members that he has no jurisdiction over the abolition of Sosma, as he is neither the home minister nor the de facto law minister.

“What I can say, I ask representatives from the family to make a written memorandum addressed to the prime minister, the Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong. 

“When you are done, I can accept the memorandum from you, and ensure the letter is delivered to them,” he said. 

After his speech, he entered the prison grounds along with several of the family members.

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