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.