Former deputy inspector-general of police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay has defended the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), saying specialised laws are necessary to deal effectively with terrorism and organised crime.

Ayob, who previously headed Bukit Aman’s counter-terrorism division from 2016 to 2020, said ordinary remand procedures under general criminal law were inadequate for large-scale operations involving numerous suspects and extensive evidence.

“I didn’t just...