The decision to extend the Internal Security Act (ISA) detention of nine suspected Islamic militants reflects badly on incoming premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, said two PAS leaders today.

Party vice-president Dr Hassan Ali said the two-year extension approved by Abdullah, who is also home minister, would taint the latter's 'nice guy' image.

"Many people feel that Pak Lah (as Abdullah is popularly known) is more amenable and humane compared to (Prime Minister Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad).

"However it doesn't seem to be that way," he said when met at the Parliament lobby.

Abdullah, who is to assume the premiership this October after Mahathir steps down, confirmed the extension yesterday and stressed that the nine were still considered a threat to national security.

The detainees, some of whom are PAS members, were arrested in 2001 for allegedly being involved in the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM).

Among the nine is Nik Adli, son of the Muslim-based party's spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

Meanwhile, Hassan said the focus now is not on Abdullah but the 'draconian' ISA which allows for detention without trial and arbitrary extensions.

He claimed that there was no justification for the extension, charging further that it was done to dampen PAS as some of the detainees were members of the Muslim-based party.

"However (the government) is not going to be successful... the people are not convinced of the allegations. We will step-up pressure to push for the total abolition of this draconian act," he said.

'Bad start'

Another PAS leader and Yan MP Nasharudin Mat Isa also shared the same views and described the extension as a "bad start" for Abdullah.

"PAS has nothing to do with it (militancy) because the party does not condone any form of militant activities," he said.

The party secretary-general said there was no basis to detain the nine further as Abdullah did not elaborate on how they were a threat to national security.

"The further detention shows that the government is not responding to local and international calls to release the nine and respect human rights," he added.

On the involvement of PAS members, Nasharuddin said there was no need to screen party members or tighten the recruiting process.

"They (the nine) are innocent, they are being held without any prove," he said, adding that the party was planning to submit an emergency motion in Parliament to debate the issue.

'Suppressing Muslims'

The extension also drew flak from other opposition parliamentarians.

DAP treasurer and Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, who condemned the detention, lamented that it would be hard to get the public's attention regarding the issue as the media is controlled by the government.

Earlier when debating on the 2004 budget, Keadilan MP for Tanah Merah Saupi Daud launched an offensive against the government for extending the detention orders.

He claimed that Malaysia, which is an Islamic country, has joined the ranks of Western superpowers in 'suppressing' Muslims.

Keadilan vice-president and ex-ISA detainee Tian Chua also joined in the fray, saying via a press statement that he could understand the bitterness felt by the nine for having their freedom robbed without a concrete reason.

Tian was released from a two-year detention under the security law this June. He was arrested with several other Keadilan leaders for allegedly planning to overthrow the government through militant means.

Also criticising the extension was the Abolish ISA Movement (AIM), a coalition of 83 non-governmental groups.

Its chairperson Zaid Kamaruddin said the movement regrets the home minister's action and rebuked the claim that the nine were being held for another two years to facilitate investigations.

"This shows the level of incompetence (of the government)," he said in a statement.