A top government official in Penang has endorsed the Human Rights Commission's (Suhakam) recent call to abolish the controversial Internal Security Act which allows detention without trial.

Penang state executive councillor Dr Toh Kin Woon who stressed that this was his personal view and not his party's argued there were other laws sufficient to protect national security.

"I cannot speak for Parti Gerakan as I have no mandate to do so. I therefore speak in my capacity as an individual," said Toh, who is assembly representative for Machang Bubok and state exco for science and technology.

Party position unknown

Toh who signed an anti-ISA memorandum by a coalition of non-governmental organisations headed by human rights group Suaram lamented his party's position o­n ISA.

"I honestly do not know what is Parti Gerakan's position now o­n the ISA," he told malaysiakini.

The memorandum was submitted to Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Parliament last month.

Toh, a former economics lecturer in University Kebangsaan Malaysia, is considered a maverick Gerakan leader and has previously expressed his contrarian views o­n ISA.

On April 9, Suhakam, in a landmark review report o­n the ISA, said the controversial security law should be repealed and replaced by a new legislation which can strike a balance between the interests of human rights and national security.

Suhakam said the new law should include provisions such as a maximum detention period of o­nly 24 hours, judicial review of the detention order, and the requirement to either release or charge a detainee at the end of the detention period.

When contacted, Gerakan secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye said the party's central executive committee has yet to study the Suhakam report.

Chia, who is energy, multimedia and technology ministry parliament secretary, said the CEC - which meets every third Saturday of the month - has yet to decide whether it would study the commission's suggestions.

ISA 'effective'

Meanwhile, Gerakan vice-president Dr S Vijayaratnam said the party supports preventive laws such as the ISA as it had proven to be 'effective' following the terrorist attacks in United States and Southeast Asia.

Vijayaratnam pointed out that Malaysia and Singapore which have the security law were relatively "trouble-free" compared to neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Phillipines and Thailand.

He dismissed the perception that ISA was used to detain opposition politicians and other dissidents.

"It depends o­n what kind of activities they pursue. There are many opposition politicians out there who are not detained under the ISA," he said.

The controversial law has been condemned by human rights groups for its alleged arbitrary detention of dissident activists.

Currently, five reformasi leaders Keadilan leaders Tian Chua, Saari Sungib, Lokman Nor Adam, Dr Badrulamin Baharon and malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais are serving a two-year detention order in Kamunting, Perak.

Meanwhile, the sixth detainee, Keadilan Youth leader Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, is serving a two-year jail term under the Official Secrets Act in Kajang.

They were charged for planning to topple the government through militant means. Their detention order will expire in June but the government has the option of renewing it for another two years.