Those who deliberately caused Thursday's fire at Dewan Sultan Iskandar of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in Skudai can be detained under the Internal Security Act, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Rais Yatim said today.

"This (situation) allows the authorities to use various laws including the ISA because the ISA is meant to prevent chaos," a Bernama report quoted the minister as saying.

If arson was proven, then it was not merely a case of setting fire to property but of sabotaging national interests as the hall could be used for several important functions, including the university's convocation, he said.

He said this when asked to comment on the incident where the university's Dewan Sultan Iskandar was gutted in a fire which broke out on Thursday but was only detected the following morning.

Rais said sabotage could not be ruled out in the incident.

Recent fires, he added, showed a trend and the authorities should investigate if a group was out to smear the government's image.

Although it would not be easy to prove arson, Rais said efforts should be made to bring the culprits to justice.

He was asked to comment on UTM vice-hancellor Prof Dr Mohd Zulkifli Mohd Ghazali's statement that the university's stand on several issues, including action against anti-government quarters, might have led to the fire.

"I don't totally deny the possibility which has been explained by the officer concerned ... therefore, he should pursue that clue if he feels strongly about it," the report quoted Rais as saying.

CLP supervision

On the Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP), Rais said the present format would be continued for two years.

"I have reported to the Cabinet two weeks ago about the CLP. The proposal is that the CLP will be reorganised within two years," he said.

He said there would not be any changes in the next twenty-four months except that supervision of the exam would be enhanced.

The CLP may be handled by one of the local universities if the government felt that public interest was better served this way, he added.

He said a special committee would be set up soon to study the matter.