KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 — The government has agreed to pay RM25,000 in damages and RM5,000 in costs to Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah over her detention in 2016 under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Her lawyer Gurdial Singh Nijar said the case was settled today through a consent judgment before High Court judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad.

"By consent, the government defendant — the government of Malaysia, the minister of home affairs and IGP (inspector-general of police) — has agreed to pay RM25,000 in damages and RM5,000 in cost.

"This is limited to the facts of the case in respect to the Sosma detention,” he told Malay Mail when contacted.

He said the settlement was agreed without admission of liability.

Maria had filed a suit last August, claiming that her 10-day detention from November 18, 2016 was not justified under the law.

The former Bersih 2.0 chairman said the arrest, which took place on the eve of the Bersih 5 rally, was cruel and oppressive.

She was held in solitary confinement in a 15 feet by 8 feet windowless cell, and was denied a bed, in what she described as an "ISA-style detention”.