PETALING JAYA: The High Court in Sungai Petani, Kedah, has refused to grant bail to three Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) detainees pending their trial.
Muhammad Jeeva Sembu, 33, G Thiyagu, 32, and V Yanasegar, 21, were charged with being members of an organised crime group known as “Rusa Boy”.
They have been in detention since February 2020.
In seeking bail, they contended that they were the sole breadwinners of their families and needed to take care of sick relatives.
Jeeva further said he is receiving treatment for brain cancer and has suffered strokes in the past.
They also said they will abide by all bail conditions imposed on them by the court and undertook not to abscond.
However, the prosecution opposed their bail applications on the ground that they had failed to satisfy the criteria for seeking bail under Sosma.
Under Section 13 of Sosma, bail cannot be granted except to those below the age of 18, women, and sick detainees.
The prosecution added that a doctor who conducted checks on Jeeva had said that he was in a good and stable condition and that any treatment he required can be given in Alor Setar prison.
Judicial commissioner S Narkunavathy agreed with the prosecutors that the trio had failed to satisfy the requirements in Section 13 to be released on bail.
She said Yanasegar and Thiyagu made “no complaints of illness or infirmity”.
The court also noted that Jeeva had only produced medical appointment cards to support the contention that he was unwell.
“The cards do not attest to his present health condition,” Narkunavathy said, pointing out that Jeeva’s last appointment at Institut Kanser Negara took place five months before his arrest.
The home ministry said recently that no amendments to Sosma are being contemplated at present.
