Suhakam, NGOs urge moratorium on Sosma detention of children

2026-03-15 - 04:03

On March 6, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said six male suspects, including minors, were arrested last month for alleged involvement in Islamic State militant activities. (Envato Elements pic) PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and several groups have urged the government to urgently impose a moratorium on the use of Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) for the detention of children. In a joint statement, Suhakam and the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Children’s Rights (APPGM-CR) strongly condemned the recent detention of youths for their alleged involvement in Islamic State (IS) militant activities. “Suhakam and APPGM-CR call upon the prime minister to immediately impose a moratorium on the use of Sosma against children,” they said. They argued that in such cases, the children involved are primarily victims of manipulation, grooming, and indoctrination, and should therefore be addressed through protection, rehabilitation, and psychosocial intervention, rather than restrictive security detention. The groups also called for the government to ensure that the children are treated as victims of exploitation and provided appropriate rehabilitation and protection under the Child Act 2001. They also urged for the repeal of Sosma or the amendments to procedural law to introduce judicial oversight and safeguards that prevent its arbitrary application, before the July Parliamentary sitting. The statement was also endorsed by Suara Rakyat Malaysia, Mandiri, former Suhakam child commissioner Noor Aziah Awal, and Initiative to Promote Tolerance and Prevent Violence (Initiate My) – a group that advocates against extremism. On March 6, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said six male suspects, of which half are minors, were arrested last month for allegedly engaging in IS-related activities. Further investigations revealed that in addition to pledging allegiance to the IS leader, the suspects expressed support for the group, possessed IS-related materials, and actively promoted the terrorist organisation on social media. The groups said that while they welcome the reported release of the three children involved on March 13, it is essential that any further action prioritises structured rehabilitation and monitoring mechanisms. This is particularly in cases where children may have been subjected to attempted online extremist recruitment, they said. “Detaining children under Sosma, a law designed to address serious national security threats, is inconsistent with the principle of the best interests of the child and undermines Malaysia’s obligation to protect children from exploitation,” the groups said.