The police would have discussed any Internal Security Act (ISA) arrests with the Home Ministry although its minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday he did not have any information regarding the seven reformasi activists arrested under the ISA.

The ministry's deputy minister Zainal Abidin Mat Zain said today that before any arrests, the police will discuss the matter with the minister first, although the minister may not know the date and time of the arrests.

"After that, the police will make recommendations to the ministry and the minister will sign the recommendation to detain these people under the ISA, if he agrees to it," he told reporters at the Parliament House lobby when asked by reporters to clarify Abdullah's denial about the arrests yesterday.

Zainal clarified the police have the right to make arrests and evaluate the need for a 60-day detention orders. Recommendations may then be made to the ministry for a continued detention of up to two years.

No information

"The ministry will make a decision based on police reports. These reports would definitely take some time," he said, adding this was why detainees were placed in detention for 60 days first.

Zainal was responding to questions regarding the arrest of seven reformasi activists yesterday and today on charges of wanting to topple the government.

At a press conference at the Parliament House lobby yesterday, Abdullah, who is also deputy prime minister, said he did not have any information regarding the arrests when told that the police had arrested a number of reformasi activists under the ISA.

He said police could act on their own as long as it was within the parameters of the country's law. He added that any arrests under the ISA would need his signature as home minister and that the government would not use such laws unless it was really necessary.

Cruel actions

Meanwhile, PAS president and opposition leader Fadzil Noor condemned the government for "abusing its power to suppress political activities of the opposition".

He urged the government to release the detainees as there was no reason for them to be detained under the ISA.

"The government must be desperate, fearful or scared and worried of its own mistakes," Fadzil told reporters at the Parliament House lobby.

"All the cries about democracy and national unity are merely empty slogans. The detention goes against the perspective outlined in the recent Third Outline Perspective Programme presented by the prime minister," he added.

Urgent motion

Fadzil also criticised Abdullah for saying that he did not have any information regarding the arrests yesterday.

"Who is really in power?" asked Fadzil.

"If the home minister really does not know what happened, this shows that he is not doing his job," he said.

PAS Youth chief and member of parliament for Pokok Sena, Mahfuz Omar said he had submitted an urgent motion to the House speaker to debate the ISA detentions tomorrow in Parliament.

He urged the people to rise in protest against the "cruel actions" of the Barisan Nasional leaders and the government.