KUALA LUMPUR: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has maintained that the detention of former Batu Kawan MP Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan and his lawyer Matthias Chang under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) is lawful.
Khalid explained that although the duo were being investigated under the Penal Code, the procedure to carry out the probe would be done using Sosma.
"There is nothing wrong with the arrests. They are detained under the Penal Code as the offences were under the Penal Code.
"Sosma is only a procedure to detain and investigate the offender," Khalid said.
The arrests of Khairuddin and Chang caused an uproar with civil rights groups who slammed the authorities for abusing its power to arrests the duo under the anti-terror law.
On Monday morning, Khairuddin and Chang were charged for attempting to sabotage the country's banking and financial systems at the KL Magistrate court.
On Sept 18, the duo were barred from leaving the country on the day they were scheduled to fly out to the US to meet the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials in the United States on the 1MDB issue.
Later the same day, Khairuddin was arrested at his house in Mont Kiara for allegedly trying to topple a democratically elected government. He was released after five days, only to be rearrested under Sosma and detained for 28 days. The detention period ends on Oct 21.
Chang, who is a lawyer and former political advisor to Mahathir, was arrested under Sosma last Thursday while visiting his client – ex-Umno man Khairuddin at the Dang Wangi police station.
He was detained for 28 days under Sosma for investiation under Sections 124K and 124L of the Penal Code, for allegedly sabotaging and attempting to sabotage the state.
When asked if Tun Dr Mahathir would be arrested for statements against Sosma, Khalid said "do not drag police into politics".
"I do not want to comment on the statement that Tun Mahathir made yesterday. We will not get involved, do not drag us into politics please," he said.
Khalid added that if there was a police report against past leaders who jointly held the press conference which alleged Putrajaya of corruption, the authorities would investigate.
