KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 22): The Home Ministry declined to respond to questions in Parliament today on the detention of Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, saying it will be sub-judice to do so after the Bersih 2.0 chairperson filed a habeas corpus application.

“The answers to the query related to Maria Chin is prepared, but I was just informed that she has filed a habeas corpus at the High Court, therefore discussion on the subject matter would be sub judice,” said  Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

Nur Jazlan said this after wrapping up the Budget 2017 committee stage debate for his ministry.

Opposition members of Parliament (MP) expressed their dissatisfaction to the response, but Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee ruled that the deputy minister should stop after his two-hour wrap up.

On his way out from the Dewan Rakyat, Nur Jazlan told reporters that his ministry will ensure that Chin’s wellbeing is taken care of during her detention.

“The police are in charge of the operational issues, we are in charge of the policy. There was no instructions from the ministry to detain her. What we will do is to make sure her well-being is being taken care of throughout her detention period," he said.

Nur Jazlan added that Chin's detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) was carried out according to "procedures".

"The procedure taken was correct, and Sosma is not only meant for a terrorist, it also applies to an individual who threatens parliamentary democracy," he said.

Earlier today, through her lawyer,  Chin filed a habeas corpus application seeking her release. Habeas corpus is an order to bring a detainee before a judge or court to determine whether a person should be detained.