Klang MP Charles Santiago has questioned lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla over what he claimed was the singling out of DAP.

This was in response to Haniff asking DAP leaders to stop criticising police investigations over the recent arrests of alleged Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam-linked individuals as it would be seen as government interference.

"Didn’t anyone else, other than my colleagues, comment about the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) or the arrests for alleged involvement with LTTE?

"Is this another witchhunt on DAP? Haven’t we had enough already?" Charles said in a statement today.

He said Pakatan Harapan had promised to abolish the draconian aspects of Sosma.

"As a practising lawyer, I would think that Haniff is aware of the fact that Sosma is draconian and detaining anyone under this law is a violation of their fundamental human rights.

"And Haniff would know that asking DAP leaders to zip it means he is encroaching into their freedom of speech.

"Do you know what’s a crime, Haniff? Not speaking up. Not pledging solidarity with the detainees and their families, not condemning the abuse of police powers and not demanding for the repeal of Sosma are (crimes)," he said.

Charles maintained that the detention of 12 men, including DAP's Gadek assemblyperson G Saminathan and Seremban Jaya assemblyperson P Gunasekaran, over purported links with the LTTE, was a "sham".

"Let me say this for the hundredth time, the LTTE is defunct.

"The Malaysians arrested were sympathisers of the Tamil people who experienced unspeakable violence and gross violations of human rights at the hands of the Sri Lankan military.

"The 12 men are not terrorists but treated as such because a few bully boys in blue uniform believe they have the absolute power to act however they want," he said.

Haniff, who has acted as legal adviser to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, yesterday said DAP leaders should be mindful of what they say in the LTTE matter as they were part of the ruling coalition.

“DAP leaders such as P Ramasamy and Lim Kit Siang and others have given comments asking how Sosma is used to arrest when Sosma ought to be repealed.

“Their comments have given a different perception to the rakyat as people thought the government was meddling in police affairs, especially so when the DAP is part of the government," he had said.