The Foreign Affairs Ministry today said that Malaysia cannot be considered a terrorist state because the government has taken necessary steps to contain the threat of terrorism.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Leo Michael Toyad said the government has negated any terrorist plot by taking the pre-emptive measure of detaining those involved under the Internal Security Act.

The country is no longer a terrorist state because most of the terrorists are detained under the ISA, he said.

Between Dec 9, 2001 and Jan 24, 2002, more than 30 people, including several university lecturers, were detained without trial under the ISA which allows for indefinite detention without trial.

Police said these people are members of the Malaysian Mujahidin Group (KMM) and had trained in Afghanistan to overthrow the government by force.

Toyad added that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert S Mueller had discussed with the countrys security department on the issue of terrorism and had admitted that news reports alleging Malaysia was a terrorist state were untrue.

Mueller was on a one-day visit to Malaysia on March 14 and had denied reports in the international magazine Newsweek about Malaysia's role in the Sept 11 terror attacks in the US. The weekly in its Feb 4 issue had said Malaysia was a primary operational launchpad for the airborne suicide attacks in New York City and Washington, citing secret FBI data.

The concern now is about Afghans who have escaped from detention camps and found refuge in other countries, said Toyad during the question-and-answer session in Parliament today.

Toyad was responding to a question by Mohammad Sabu (PAS-Kuala Kedah) who asked if the government was planning to ask Time magazine and Newsweek to apologise for publishing articles which stated that Malaysia was a launchpad for terrorists.

Time 's Feb 11 issue had carried reports claiming that Malaysia was a regional financial and planning hub linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist network. The international magazine had also angered the government as the cover of the same issue had the Malaysian flag as the backdrop for a pair of crossed automatic rifles.

However, the magazine had written a letter to Tourism Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir on Feb 28 apologising for any problem which could have been created.

Sabu queried why the government was being complacent about the matter.

Why are we suddenly so lenient? the PAS member of Parliament asked.

Toyad said the government is aware of the oppositions efforts to destroy the countrys image and is countering the attacks by inviting media organisations and foreigners to discuss the matter in international forums.

He added the government is constantly monitoring negative reports about Malaysia.

Our leaders who go overseas often clarify the matter and try to present the correct image of the country, he said.

Earlier, Railey Jeffrey (BN-Silam) asked the ministry to clarify efforts made by the government to correct the negative image since many Muslim countries, including Malaysia, are accused and declared by the US as supporting or to be terrorist havens.