MANILA, Philippines -- Relatives of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III of Sulu are among the 104 detained by Malaysian forces in Sabah for allegedly engaging in security offenses, a report from state news agency Bernama said.
In a report, Bernama quoted Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib as saying that Kiram’s relatives were detained under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012.
The authorities did not say when they will undergo prosecution.
The website of Malaysian Law explained that the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012 “provides for special measures in dealing with security offenses as scheduled in the Act.”
The law repealed the Internal Security Act 1960 “while recognizing the grave risks to internal security and public order presented by the threat of terrorism, sabotage and espionage.”
A key provision in the law states that a police officer “has special powers of arrest and detention over persons whom he has reason to believe to be involved in security offenses.”
Malaysia earlier tagged Kiram’s followers as “terrorists.”
“We are also investigating others who have links with the terrorists,” Army Field Commander Lt. Gen. Datuk Seri Zulkiple was quoted as saying.
The same news agency also reported that the mop-up operations in Sabah to reign in on the royal army’s followers will continue against the 50 men of Kiram who remain in hiding.
“We will finish [the operations] as soon as possible,” said Hamza Taib.
Read More:http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03/17/13/malaysia-detains-kiram-relatives-report
