The government expressed regret late yesterday over a weekend mass arrest of Indian IT professionals that had soured ties between the two nations and apologised to Indian diplomats for failing to attend to them promptly.

"Police officials who did not follow proper procedures will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken," the Home Ministry vowed in a statement following a police investigation.

Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is the home minister.

"The Home Ministry expresses regret if the operation had caused difficulties to those who were detained. The operation was not carried out with the intention to arrest Indian nationals."

Abdullah, who is filling in for Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad while he is o­n vactaion for two months, had directed national police chief Norian Mai last Friday to personally handle the investigation and to report to him.

The report was issued by Home Ministry secretary-general Aseh Che Mat.

Aseh said there had been weaknesses in the operation because immigration officers were not involved from the start.

New Delhi warned yesterday that the issue was affecting relations between the two countries, which have strong economic links.

Rough treatment

In the incident on March 9, police raided an apartment block near Kuala Lumpur and detained more than 200 Indian nationals in a check for illegal immigrants. They have complained of rough treatment by police before being released.

Aseh said 191 people were detained during the operation - 186 of them Indians, four Pakistani and o­ne from Burma.

They were all taken to a police station, it said, adding that 36 people who did not have proper travel documents were handcuffed to ensure they did not run away.

Many of those who were detained worked in the Multimedia Super Corridor, a business development initiative set up by Malaysia to emulate Silicon Valley in the United States.

Around 40,000 Indian expatriates work in Malaysia, including information technology professionals, engineers, doctors, academics and executives involved in joint ventures. - AFP