The police have rejected the application for a permit to hold a debate on the controversial Internal Security Act which pits Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang against Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

The debate , organised by the Youth wing of opposition party DAP, was originally scheduled to be held on Monday at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur.

DAP organising secretary Tan Kok Wai said they were informed about the decision at noon today.

According to him, Dang Wangi district police chief Hadi Ho Abdulah, in a written reply, cited 'security reasons' for the rejection.

Appeal filed

Tan, who is also Cheras MP, submitted an appeal letter to Kuala Lumpur police chief Mustafa Abdullah. He was accompanied by DAP Youth national secretary Anthony Loke Siew Fook and assistant secretary Kuan Perk Siong.

Speaking to reporters later, Tan said he was shocked with the decision as only yesterday Hadi said the permit would be granted.

"He told me we could have the permit with conditions attached like we must have debated behind closes doors, provide the agenda and the name of the chairperson. But now they rejected it,' he said.

Tan said he called Hadi immediately after receiving the refusal, but was told that the latter was not authorised to retract the decision.

The DAP leader was then advised to refer the matter to the city police chief.

"I then called Mustafa, he confirmed that the permit was rejected by him. But he didn't explain further what he meant by security reasons," he said.

Meanwhile, Loke, who was in charge of organising the debate, also expressed disappointment over the decision.

"Both of the debaters are respected and seasoned political leaders. There might be a debate and different views on the issue, but we don't see the reason for it being a threat to security," he added.

He disclosed that the organising committee had spent a several thousand ringgit to prepare the event.

Nazri surprised

Nazri's special assistant Eswandi Abdul Rahim, who arrived at the city police headquarters later,

told reporters that the minister also hopes that the debate will be allowed to take place as proposed.

"Dato (Nazri) said it is better for the debate to go on. He was surprised with the police's decision," he said, adding that he will submit a formal appeal letter on the matter tomorrow.

Nazri, who oversees parliamentary affairs had accepted an invitation from Lim to debate on the security law in the last parliamentary sitting.

The ISA, which was originally drafted to battle the communist insurgency, later earned notoriety when it was used to crackdown on opposition leaders and activists.

Detainees are held for a period of two years on the orders of the home minister, which upon expiry can be extended.