Thirty-four people have died while under police detention since 2000, 18 of them during the first nine months of this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Providing a breakdown of the figures, Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Hueng said six people died in 2000, 10 in last year while the remaining deaths occurred this year.

However, the deputy minister was quick to rule out the possibility of police brutality.

"These detainees did not die during the investigation process in the lock-ups [referring to the prospect of detainees being injured during interrogation]," he said.

Chor was responding to an oral question from Nasharuddin Mat ISA (PAS-Yan).

Torture tactics

In his supplementary question, the PAS leader termed the number of deaths as being "too many". He asked whether the fatalities were related to the "torture" meted out on detainees, such as making them sit on ice blocks.

Chor denied that the police employed such measures to elicit information from the detainees.

He added that when such a death occurs, police will form a commission to investigate the matter in detail.

The findings will then be forwarded to the court.

Later, Chor told reporters that a majority of the detainees who died were those who had attempted to escape from custody.

He added that his ministry has no information which relate these deaths to the actions of police personnel.

The police have come under severe criticism over the high number of deaths of suspects in police custody.

In the past four months, families of three youths claimed that the three S Tharma Rajen, 19, M Ragupathy and Vivashanu Pillai, both aged 24 had died under mysterious circumstances. Inquest into the death of Tharma Rajen are ongoing.

Malaysia safe

On the country's security following the bomb blasts in Bali, Indonesia, Chor said there is no need to beef up security here since the best is already being provided.

The deputy minister assured Malaysians and tourists that the country is safe.

Late Saturday, a huge car bomb ripped through two bars packed with foreign tourists on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, killing at least 189 people.

World leaders condemned the incident as an act of terrorism.