APHR urged MPs to ensure the amendments are progressive when the bill on the proposed changes is brought to the Dewan Rakyat.

This is crucial to prevent the law from being misused against human rights defenders and even the MPs themselves, it said in a statement.

This comes after deputy law and institutional reform minister Ramkarpal Singh reportedly said the government is considering making amendments to Section 13 of the Act, which deals with granting bail to Sosma detainees.

Under Sosma, an accused is denied bail and has to remain in prison pending the final outcome of a court proceeding. This is because the charge is said to be an offence that touches on national security.

Ramkarpal also said abolishing the law is not in the pipeline, adding that the government’s focus is on improving the Act rather than nullifying it.

APHR expressed disappointment with Putrajaya’s failure to commit to repeal the law which allows for detention without trial.

“We had high hopes for this current government, expecting that it would lead the way and stand as a beacon of democracy and human rights in Southeast Asia.

“Regrettably, recent events make us concerned about the state of freedom in the country, particularly as freedom of expression is increasingly at risk,” it said.

It cited the police summoning rights activist Arun Doraisamy for criticising Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s act of officiating the conversion of a Hindu man into Islam.

“In any true democracy, citizens are able to question their leaders without fear of reprisal, therefore making such investigations unwarranted,” it said.,