Malaysian authorities have no information confirming that a top Indonesian separatist rebel is in the country as he has claimed, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

Free Aceh Movement (GAM) chief spokesman Sofyan Daud told AFP by telephone yesterday that he was in Malaysia on a "secret" mission after leaving Aceh and flying out of Jakarta using a different name more than 10 days ago.

Abdullah, who is also home minister in charge of security, told the official Bernama news agency that apart from the news report "we don't have any information yet."

He said it was up to police to take action if the GAM leader was really in Malaysia.

"We never invited them to come," he said.

Will return

Daud, who is also commander of GAM's key Pase district near Lhokseumawe city, said he had not fled the province at the northern tip of Sumatra island neighbouring Malaysia, and would definitely return.

An Indonesian military spokesman, Colonel Ditya Sumarsono, said it was "quite possible" Daud had fled to Malaysia "but then again he could be lying by claiming that he was there while in fact he is still hiding from us in Aceh."

Indonesian forces on May 19 launched an offensive to wipe out the rebels, who have been fighting for an independent state in the oil-rich province. - AFP