The Dewan Rakyat has voted down a motion to extend the enforcement period for a key provision under the Security Offences (Special Measures) 2012 Act (Sosma).

The provision in question is Section 4(5) of Sosma, which allows for detention without trial for up to 28 days and must be renewed periodically to be enforceable.

Only 84 MPs supported the renewal when a bloc vote was called, compared to 86 who opposed it. Another 50 MPs were absent.