The fate of detained Islamic militants on hunger strike loomed as an election issue as the son of the opposition party's spiritual leader was hospitalised.

Nik Adli, son of Islamic Party PAS leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat, was admitted to hospital yesterday after refusing food and liquids since March 1, the human rights group Suaram told AFP .

PAS, which wants to turn Malaysia into a theocratic Islamic state, is the main challenger to the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in general elections due on March 21.

Nik Adli and 15 other alleged militants held without trial for more than two years on allegations of plotting to overthrow the government launched the hunger strike to demand that they be brought to court or freed.

Another of the detainees, Mohamad Azian Abdul Rahman, is also in hospital while all the others are in a state of collapse in Kamunting detention camp in northern Perak state, Suaram spokesman Yap Swee Seng said.

Suicide is not permitted under Islam, but Nik Aziz said the men's action "is legitimate on humanitarian grounds.

"They have no other option, what choice do they have? But I am concerned about the safety of my son."

Nik Aziz, who is also chief minister of the PAS-controlled northeastern Kelantan state, said he hoped the government would "accord proper medical attention to the detainees before the whole issue erupts into big international news."

'Hot election issue'

Suaram spokesman Yap said that "there is no proper medical care in the centre. Camp officials on Friday promised to place a doctor in the camp but they have not done it".

He said the fate of the detainees would become "a hot election issue" as it "reflects the cruelty of the government" led by Abdullah, who is also home minister and therefore responsible for signing detention orders.

The detainees are accused of belonging to the Malaysian Militant Group (KMM) which is allegedly linked to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) regional terrorist network blamed for the Bali bombings which killed more than 200 people in October 2002.

JI is in turn linked to the Al-Qaeda movement of international terror chief Osama bin Laden.

As none of the detainees have been charged in court, no details of their alleged crimes have been made public.

They were detained in 2001 under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows indefinite detention without trial. A total of more than 90 alleged Islamic militants, including many suspected of being JI members, are being held at Kamunting.

"I would like to warn Abdullah if any of the detainees dies it will have a negative impact on Malaysia," said PAS lawmaker Mahfuz Omar. "His image will forever be tainted."

"By chance this will become an election issue. There will be widespread public sympathy, especially from rural Malays."

Malay votes crucial

The votes of the majority Malays are the crucial issue in the forthcoming election, which is being closely watched for any signs of growing Islamic fundamentalism.

PAS made sweeping gains in the last elections in 1999 as voters swung away from Abdullah's Umno, which heads the ruling multiracial National Front coalition of 14 parties.

Any further loss of support among the Malays, who make up more than 60 percent of the 25 million population, could see Abdullah challenged for the party leadership, and thus the premiership, at the party congress later in the year. - AFP