Satisfied with police’ reasoning for LTTE arrests: Malaysian PM

• 12 detained under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA)

The police have their own reasons as to why they arrested the individuals suspected of having links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorist outfit, Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir said.   

 He said the police briefed him on the matter and that he was satisfied with reasons given for the arrests. 
“I was briefed by the police on the arrests. They gave me the reasons behind their action and I am satisfied with them,” he told reporters briefly after delivering the keynote address at the International Conference on Industry 4.0: A global revolution in Business, Technology and Productivity (MYINDUSTRIES 2019), held yesterday at Petaling in Jaya.  

Dr. Mahathir was commenting on polemic responses by certain quarters on the arrests of the 12 individuals after they were suspected of being involved 
with LTTE. 

After the first seven arrests last week, police detained five more individuals yesterday including a teacher, on suspicion of being involved in promoting, supporting, possessing material and channelling funds linked to LTTE. All 12 have been detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA). 

When asked on PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s view that the arrests should not have been under SOSMA, Dr. Mahathir said the SOSMA Act was still effective and hence, in the absence of other laws that can be applied, they used the SOSMA Act. 

Last Sunday, Anwar was reported to have said that while he agreed with police detaining the individuals linked to LTTE, it should not have been made under SOSMA which he deemed as harsh. (Bernama) 

PKR Prez Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says arrests should not have been made under SOSMA