Date: 3 Nov 2015 (Tuesday)
Time: 8.00 pm (registration
begins at 7.30pm)
Venue: Raja Aziz Addruse
Auditorium, Straits Trading Building, Unit 2-02A, 2nd Floor, Leboh Pasar Besar,
50050 Kuala Lumpur
Admission is free but
registration is required.
Security Offences (Special
Measures) Act 2012 (“SOSMA”) vests extraordinary and wide-ranging powers with
the Executive. SOSMA contains an extremely broad definition of what constitutes
a “security offence”. It allows for an initial detention of 24 hours by the
police to be extended for up to 28 days if authorised by a police officer above
the rank of superintendent, without any supervision by the courts. In addition,
detainees can be denied access to legal counsel for up to 48 hours after arrest
and also denied bail. Under SOSMA, all offences under Part VI and Part VIA of
the Penal Code are considered security offences and are triable in the High
Court.
Despite the Government’s
initial assurance that SOSMA was legislated to address terrorism threats and
violent conduct, we are now witnessing its misuse. The case of Dato’ Sri
Khairuddin Abu Hassan and his lawyer Matthias Chang, a Member of the Bar,
raises serious concerns over the misuse of SOSMA. Are we witnessing yet another
attempt to resurrect the Internal Security Act 1960 or Essential (Security
Cases) Regulations 1975? The original purpose of SOSMA, and its utility as a
means for investigative detention - not preventive detention - is now open to
question.
7.30 pm – 8.00 pm Registration
8.00 pm – 8.10 pm Welcome remarks
8.10 pm - 8.30 pm Opening Address by Steven Thiru,
President, Malaysian Bar
8.30 pm – 8.50 pm Invited speaker
8.50 pm – 9.10 pm Representative from Attorney General’s
Chambers (tbc)
9.10 pm – 9.30 pm Invited Speaker
9.30 pm – 9.50 pm Amer Hamzah Arshad, Member of the Bar
9.50 pm - 10.30 pm Q&A
10.30 pm End
Kindly confirm your attendance
(using the reply slip/circular attached) to:
Satha Selvan (03-2050 2092;
satha@malaysianbar.org.my) or
Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna
(03-2050 2090; sumitha@malaysianbar.org.my)
Fax: 03-2031 6640
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