The government is seeking Manila's co-operation to summon witnesses for the trial of two policemen charged with raping a 13-year-old girl at an immigrants' detention centre in Menggatal, Sabah, last year.

Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung said today that there were difficulties in getting witnesses to return, since they had been deported during the massive exercise following stringent implementation of revised immigration laws last August.

"We have requested the Philippine government to send them back here. Without those witnesses, it would be very tough (to start the trial)." he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

Definite action

Chor stressed that the prosecutors would proceed with the trial and, adding that "it's just a matter of time".

He was asked to comment o­n the status of the issue which had sparked a diplomatic tiff between Kuala Lumpur and Manila because Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had issued a sternly-worded letter to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The girl, mistaken to be a Filipina, was deported along with illegal immigrants to southern Philippines. Identified o­nly as Angelica, she told Filipino social workers that she was raped by several policemen while being detained.

She was later discovered to be a Malaysian citizen by a special federal police team set up to investigate the allegations.

Seven identified

During the investigation, the complainant was said to have identified seven persons from photographs.

On Feb 28, the Attorney-General's Chambers said two policemen had been charged in connection with the case. They were denied bail.

The Star reported that the duo were General Operations Force lance corporals who were o­n duty when the alleged rape took place.

The report said the two have been interdicted since the allegation surfaced - which means that they are allowed to remain in the police force although they are required to report to their supervisors daily. They have been relieved of their duties and stripped of their police powers.