They were met by deputy rural development minister R Sivarasa, who is also Sungai Buloh MP, who promised to bring up the matter to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

The detainees, some of whom are being held for alleged links to organised crime, have been on a hunger strike since yesterday.

One of the protesters, Umathevi, said her husband and brother-in-law have been in custody for over a year.

“Police just took them away one day, saying it was for investigation purposes. But until today, there have been no charges against them. Charge them in court if you have evidence,” she said.

Meanwhile, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur prison director Darussalam Budin said medical assistance would be provided to detainees who were on hunger strike, but urged them to end it.

“I have advised them to eat, but it is up to them whether they want to eat or not,” he said.

Sosma, or Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, is among laws Pakatan Harapan had promised to abolish during the general election campaign.

Among those who were detained under the law were 1MDB critics Khairuddin Abu Hassan and his lawyer Matthias Chang, and former Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah.