Prison chief assures Sosma detainees on hunger strike will be looked after
Selangor and Kuala Lumpur prison director Darussalam Budin has given his assurance that the welfare of Security Offences (Security Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) detainees who have gone on a hunger strike will be taken care of.
"We will always provide food for them (the detainees) and if say they become unwell, we have doctors on standby," he said to the family members of the detainees outside Sungai Buloh prison today.
This was after he, along with Sungai Buloh MP R Sivarasa and some family members, visited the detainees and spoke with three of their representatives...
Selangor and Kuala Lumpur prison director Darussalam Budin has given his assurance that the welfare of Security Offences (Security Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) detainees who have gone on a hunger strike will be taken care of.
"We will always provide food for them (the detainees) and if say they become unwell, we have doctors on standby," he said to the family members of the detainees outside Sungai Buloh prison today.
This was after he, along with Sungai Buloh MP R Sivarasa and some family members, visited the detainees and spoke with three of their representatives.
The family members, who had gathered outside the Sungai Buloh prison since 11am today, remained concerned about the wellbeing of their relatives if they persisted with their hunger strike.
'Objective achieved'
Darussalam said the detainees have already been advised not to continue with their hunger strike as their goal of imparting their message to the government has already been achieved.
"The reason they went on a hunger strike is so that they can send a message about Sosma.
"They have been heard not only by us and our ministry, but also by a minister or deputy minister. Sivarasa (already said he) will raise the issue.
"Don't go on a hunger strike anymore, we have advised them. But it is their right," he said.
Sivarasa, the rural development deputy minister, also told the family members that he will bring this issue to cabinet.
Earlier, Sivarasa had also advised the family members to prepare a written memorandum addressed to the prime minister, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong.
He had said that he will ensure the memorandum is delivered to said ministers.
Solidarity with detainees
Over 200 Sosma detainees at the Sungai Buloh prison had gone on a hunger strike since 8am yesterday.
They vowed to continue with the protest until the government gives its assurance of the abolition of Sosma or they receive a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.
Most of the Sosma detainees were arrested for alleged links to organised crimes.
Some 200 people (photo), mostly family members of the detainees, gathered outside the prison today in solidarity with their relatives inside.
Though Sivarasa and Darussalam have left, the family members remain gathered outside the prison at the time of writing.
However, riot police stationed outside the prison have slowly ushered them away from the area in front of the entrance.
Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs Alliance of Malaysia (Ikhlas) president Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah said the NGO and detainees’ families hope to discuss Sosma's abolition with the Attorney-General's Chambers next week and Parliament during its next sitting in October.
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