PETALING JAYA; The Malaysian Bar has called upon the police to speed up their investigations into those recently arrested over their alleged links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Its president Datuk Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor (pic) said that since the police had reportedly carried out surveillance on the suspects before arresting them, it would mean that they already have some evidence of their involvement in activities deemed detrimental to the security of the nation.

“We call upon the police to speed up investigations in adherence to the rule of law and natural justice, and to charge them in court if there is enough evidence to do so.

“(They should not) unnecessarily detain the suspects for the full length of 28 days as provided for under Sosma (the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012), ” he said in a statement on Monday (Oct 14).

Fareed added that it was worth remembering that Sosma has been abused in the past in the cases of politician Datuk Seri Khairudin Abu Hassan, lawyer Matthias Chang, and then social activist Maria Chin Abdullah.

“In the case of Maria Chin, she was released after a lengthy detention without any charges being preferred against her.

“Whereas in the case of Khairuddin and Chang, although they were charged, the prosecution later withdrew the charges, ” he said.

Fareed also said that the Malaysian Bar also views with concern the arrest of any individuals without justification and has consistently called for the “abolition of Sosma and all other draconian laws”.