“Perhaps (at that time), there were issues that were seen to be in contradiction with the Islamic order and matters that arose from it,” PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin told FMT.

He said the decision was made after PAS MPs held a meeting to reach a consensus regarding the party’s position, adding that they had no personal and political interests regarding their support in the Dewan Rakyat.

PAS MPs had supported the re-tabled motion to extend the Sosma pre-trial detention clause on Tuesday, which the party had firmly rejected in the past.

Sub-section 4(5) of Sosma, which enables police to detain a person suspected of being involved in terrorist activities for a period not exceeding 28 days for investigations, is set to expire on July 31.

Sik MP Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman also defended the party’s decision to support the extension.

“Situations may change, human behaviour may change, (thus) punishments according to ta’zir (discretion) can also change,” he told FMT.

He highlighted how in 2019, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, who was then part of the Pakatan Harapan government, also agreed that Sosma should be improved instead of abolished.

Bachok MP Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Aziz also said the extension of the Sosma provision did not deviate from Islamic principles.

Nik Abduh explained two views of Islamic scholars, the first being of the Syafie sect, which believes that detention periods to carry out investigations should not last more than 30 days.

He pointed out that Sosma’s detention period is only 28 days.

He also said most scholars agreed that the government had the right to detain people as long as necessary for the public good.

The extension of the Sosma provision was approved after 111 MPs voted in favour and 88 against, with the remaining 21 absent.

The motion was defeated when home minister Hamzah Zainudin first tabled it in March, with 85 MPs voting in favour and 86 against. The remaining 49 MPs were absent.