Malaysian politician condemns SOSMA

<p>Socialist Party of Malaysia’s Deputy Chairperson, S Arutchelvan, condemned the Special Measures Act (SOSMA), which has been used to detain 12 men for their alleged ‘LTTE links’.</p> <p>According to the Green Left, Arutchelvan said that SOSMA must be repealed urgently. He was previously a veteran of the campaign against the Internal Security Act (ISA), legislation which was used to detain people without trial but has now been repealed.</p> <p>Arutchelvan also condemned the unwarranted attempt to criminalise support for the right of Tamils to self-determination, human rights and welfare in Sri Lanka.</p> <p>“SOSMA has all the DNA of the ISA- which has its origins under British colonial rule,” Arutchelvan told Green Left.</p> <p>“It was used to detain independence activists, socialists, trade unionists and other social movement activists. When the British passed on their repressive state to their neo-colonial puppets, they kept these repressive powers.”</p> <p>Malaysian authorities have arrested two lawmakers and give other activists for alleged links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),&nbsp;which continues to be listed as a “terrorist organisation” in the country.</p> <p>Malaysian police counter-terrorism chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay told reporters that the arrested people were suspected of “supporting, promoting, recruiting, fundraising for and possessing items linked to LTTE militants”.</p> <p>Amongst the group are two lawmakers who reportedly delivered leaflets and spoke at a Maaveerar Naal – or Hero’s Day event – in Malaysia. The two are reportedly assemblymen from the Democratic Action Party, a member of Malaysia’s ruling coalition.</p> <p>See more <a href="https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/malaysian-socialists-condemn-new-s…">here</a>.</p>