Ulu Tiram shooter’s family still held under Sosma to aid probe, says Saifuddin

Law allows their detention under the legislation to facilitate investigation, says home minister

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (left) at an event at the Malaysian Police Training Centre today. – Alif Omar/Scoop pic, June 14, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR – The five family members of the attacker who killed two junior officers at the Ulu Tiram police station last month are still in detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Sosma was used for this case to enable further investigations on the matter.

“For now, they are still under Sosma as the Inspector-General of Police (Tan Sri Razarudin Husain) said earlier.

“The law allows us to use (Sosma) for the purpose of the (investigation) process to take place,” he said at a press conference at the Malaysian Police Training Centre today. 

The minister also said the shooter’s detained family members, aged between 19 and 62, had the option of engaging a lawyer.

On May 17, the attacker killed police constables Ahmad Azza Fahmi Azhar, 22, and Muhamad Syafiq Ahmad Said, 24. The assailant was armed with a machete and seized firearms from the officers in the 2.45am incident.

Another policeman, who was shot in his shoulder and hip during the attack, shot the attacker and killed him. 

Following the incident, the attacker’s five family members and two other students who were at the scene during the incident were remanded for seven days from May 18 to 24 to assist in the investigations.

Police have said the father is a Jemaah Islamiyah member, and the family lived in a closed-knit community. 

Police later released the two university students after receiving instructions from the Attorney-General’s Chambers. – June 14, 2024