SUNGAI BULOH: The hunger strike by the detainees of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) and their families has finally ended.
The protest was to urge the government to end the inmates' detention or charge them in court, and to abolish the act.
About 100 family members of the 69 detainees gathered on Monday in front of the Sungai Buloh prison for the strike, which was kicked off by the detainees on Sunday.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh, in a Facebook post, said:
"I met with the detainees arrested for the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 as well as their family members who are on a hunger strike at the Sungai Buloh prison and around its compound yesterday (Tuesday).
Ramkarpal wrote that the hunger strike ended around 2pm yesterday after he explained matters to them.
"I am very concerned about their health and well-being and I am grateful that they have started to eat and drink again," he added.
It was earlier reported that 34 of the Sosma detainees were held at Sungai Buloh while the rest were detained at Alor Star.
The Sosma Act is a controversial law that enables individuals to be held for up to 28 days.
It also permits police officers with the rank of superintendent and above to deny inmates access to their family members or lawyers for up to 48 hours.
Ramkarpal Singh had urged the family members of the Sosma detainees to remain patient as suggestions to improve Sosma were being reviewed by the Home Ministry, police and Attorney-General's Chambers.
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