(Oct 12): Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who today joined other Barisan Nasional (BN) veterans in criticising Putrajaya's use of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 against government critics, was the whip who made sure all ruling coalition lawmakers voted for it in Parliament, said an Umno minister.

Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who is local government, housing and urban wellbeing minister, took to Twitter to “remind” Muhyiddin that he led efforts to ensure Sosma was passed in the Dewan Rakyat.

Using his Twitter handle @mpkotabelud, Rahman posted:

“Sosma is better than ISA. In fact as former BN Chief Whip, TSMY made sure all BN MPs including the Semporna MP voted for it in parliament.”

Muhyiddin as former deputy prime minister was the BN whip in Parliament until he was dropped in a cabinet reshuffle on July 28.

He had been critical of state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's handling of its alleged financial scandals.

Rahman, who is also BN's strategic communications director, tweeted in defence of Sosma.

“Unlike ISA, under Sosma, both Khairuddin and Mathias will see their day in court. So let the court decide if they are guilty or not.”

In other tweets, Rahman said:

“People do remember his ISA and the 'colorful' 22 years tenure as PM. Enough said!” and “That sounds like #HolierThanThouAttitude. Anyway, 22 years of fear culture is undeniable.”

Rahman's tweets was in obvious reference to Malaysia's longest serving prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who led the press conference with a few other senior BN leaders today  to criticise the use of Sosma against former Umno branch leader Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan and his lawyer Matthias Chang.

Khairuddin lodged reports in several countries against 1MDB, which is in the spotlight for its debts of RM42 billion and alleged irregularities.

Khairuddin and Chang were charged today for attempting economic sabotage.

ISA or the Internal Security Act referred to in Rahman's tweet is the 1957 law enacted to fight the Communists.

It allowed for indefinite detention without trial and without facing charges, and was finally repealed in 2012, to be replaced with a less draconian version – Sosma.

ISA was used against activists, opposition politicians and other critics of the government in 1987 during Operasi Lalang under Dr Mahathir's rule.

Also at today's press conference were Semporna MP Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, Gua Musang MP Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and former Umno leader Tan Sri Sanusi Junid.

Shafie said at the press conference that Sosma was meant to deal with terrorism only and that such a guarantee had been given in Parliament.

“I was part of the Cabinet that approved Sosma. It was specific to terrorism and guarantees were given in Parliament that it won’t be used for political reasons,” said the party vice-president who was also sacked from Cabinet on July 28 together with Muhyiddin.

Tengku Razaleigh meanwhile said this morning that many asked him to make a stand on the abuse of the law.

“This is not the spirit Sosma was presented to Parliament.

“We were under the understanding that this was not like ISA. But the way it is being interpreted is not right,” he said – The Malaysian Insider