DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang today challenged Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to detain him under the Internal Security Act for his criticism over the manner in which the Health Ministry was handling the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).

In a press statement, Lim ( left ) said Health Minister Chua Jui Meng wanted him to stop "rumour-mongering" about the disease and warned him that he could face action if he continued to do so.

"Rumour-mongering must be stopped. Speculations must cease. Irresponsible statements such as that made by Lim Kit Siang must not be allowed to proceed any further because of the consequences for this nation and for the nations of this region," the minister told a media conference yesterday.

However, Lim said any attempt to impose a media or information blackout o­n Sars will be a quadruple violation of human rights of Malaysians, namely the right to life, information, personal liberty and freedom of expression.

"It would appear that the biggest thing o­n the mind of the health minister when chairing the meeting yesterday was how to shut me up instead of how to secure full public confidence or combat the latest virus outbreak in Malaysia," said the former Opposition Leader.

National security

The New Straits Times today reported that the National Committee o­n Sars - which comprises 11 ministries and authorities- has recommended that matters related to the killer disease be treated as national security to ensure information was properly transmitted and all rumour-mongering was stopped.

Meanwhile, AFP said Chua ( right ) had criticised the foreign media for quoting Lim who accused the government of covering up the truth about the disease.

The minister added that Sars would affect the Malaysian economy, similar to what has happened in China, Hongkong and Taiwan.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 84 deaths have been recorded worldwide so far.

The organisation added that the disease has reached 20 countries, affecting 2,535 people. China topped the list with 49 deaths

In Malaysia, the Health Ministry today said there have been 75 people with symptoms of the disease and 10 were under quarantine.

The ministry also confirmed that a 64-year-old man who died at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur o­n Sunday could be the first probable Sars case in the country.

Cover up

In a related development, DAP Youth publicity secretary Ooi Leng Hang called o­n the health minister to concentrate o­n preparing the country for the possible outbreak instead of threatening a clampdown o­n legitimate criticisms and queries.

"It is most unfortunate that Chua is up to his old habit of trying to cover up the truth about the impending Sars outbreak faced by the country instead of abiding by the acting prime minister's instruction to be transparent and informative o­n the matter," he said in a statement.

"It is precisely due to the act of cover up by the China government that the deadly virus is now attacking the whole world and causing unnecessary deaths in so many countries.

"Malaysia should learn from China's fault and also our own experience in the past, such as the Coxsackie virus, the Nipah disaster and the o­n-going dengue epidemic - which were all under the care of the health ministry," said Ooi.

Meanwhile, DAP Wanita chief and Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng urged Chua to clarify whether it is the task of the Transport Ministry to decide if there is a need for those who have just returned from Sars infected countries to be quarantined.

"I was informed that the Bentong Sg Gapoi MCA branch had put up an announcement at bus stops that residents of the Sg. Gapoi new village in Bentong who have just returned from places affected by Sars should stay at home for ten days," she said in a statement..

Therefore, she questioned the right of the MCA branch to make such an announcement considering that even the Health Ministry has not issued an official directive for quarantine.