SUNGAI BULOH: About 100 family members mainly comprising of the wives and children of 69 detainees of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) staged a hunger strike opposite the Sungai Buloh Prison here to protest the detention of the inmates on Monday (July 31).
The family members including about 20 children as young as three arrived as early as 6am and gathered near the prison entrance carrying banners and placards.
The 69 inmates, 34 who were held in Sungai Buloh Prison and the rest at the Alor Setar Prison had earlier kicked off a hunger strike while in custody on Sunday (July 30) before their families joined them in the protest.
The protestors were calling on the authorities to either charge them in court or release them.
They were held by police for suspected criminal activities and had been in detention for between a year and three years.
District police including members of the Light Strike Force (LSF) arrived as the group swelled in size and gave them repeated orders to disperse but they refused to do so despite the sweltering heat past noon.
Sungai Buloh OCPD Supt Shafa'aton Abu Bakar and Sungai Buloh Member of Parliament Datuk R. Ramanan were at the scene and expressed concern for the safety of the young children who were involved in the hunger strike.
They held discussions with the protestors urging them to move their young children to a shady area or a nearby restaurant as they risk suffering from dehydration.
"I have contacted the relevant authorities and am waiting for a reply. At least take the children over to the restaurant if you do not want to disperse," Ramanan told the protestors.
He said that he had spoken to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who gave his assurance that he would look into the matter.
"Anwar has given me his word that he will. They are asking for Sosma to be repealed and it is not so easy even for Anwar to do so.
"It is a long process that will need consultation with the Cabinet and Parliament but I assure to personally handle this matter," Ramanan said when approached by The Star.
N. Megavinothini, 38, of Rawang whose husband was among those in custody said that her eldest daughter became depressed following her father's detention and that she had attempted suicide.
"I have to constantly keep an eye on her, fearing what she might do next. I have two other children and they need their father.
"My husband suffers from hypertension and needs his medication. Why is the Prime Minister turning a blind eye to our plight," she said.
S. Naveena Sri said police had arrested her 30-year-old husband and his 27-year-old brother in June last year and had since kept her family in the dark about their release.
"We were told that my husband and his brother will only be tried in court in July next year.
"If they had committed any offence, charge them in court as there are enough laws available.
"Do not detain them like this without trial. My husband suffers from severe gastritis.
"He also told me that he was manhandled in custody during interrogations until he landed in hospital on one occasion," said the 25-year-old woman.
Another spouse of a detainee, R. Haashvini, 31, said police had arrested her and her 33-year-old husband in Johor Bahru in June last year.
"Our first child, a son, was born just four months earlier when we were held. I was freed on the same day but my husband was held under Sosma for some case that took place in 2018.
T. Nayagi, 32, said she and her husband were barely married for 10 days when he was nabbed by police in Damansara last year.
"We were just setting out to start our lives as a newlywed couple. All of us are suffering and there are so many uncertainties in our lives now.
"Most of us depended on our husbands who were the breadwinners of the family. Now we are forced to go to work to support our families," she said.
Also present at the protest were heads of non-governmental organisations (NGO) Nambikkai Malaysia National president Datuk Kalai Vanar and Former Detainees Welfare Organisation (Popoc) president Ganesan M. Krishnan.
As of 7pm, the protestors were still at the site on Monday.
