Relatives of eight immigration department officers today held a protest in front of the Klang court complex to demand that the officers’ trial be delayed.

They argued that the case ought to be delayed because Putrajaya has pledged to review the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

All eight are facing charges under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007. The Act’s offences fall under the First Schedule of Sosma.

When contacted, Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs Alliance of Malaysia (Ikhlas) leader Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, who has been actively campaigning, said the court eventually set the trial date for Oct 23 to 26.

"We will wait until next week for the attorney-general to act. If there are no developments, we will have to write to him," he said.

He said that there were recent precedents where charges against alleged secret society members charged under Sosma were amended to other laws.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said in August that Sosma – a law which allowed for detention without trial – would be amended eventually.

Deputy law minister Hanipa Maidin also said that the Attorney-General's Chambers would review the detention of all 442 individuals under Sosma.

Although the eight officers were charged for human trafficking, they have been detained without trial under Sosma.