An international press freedom watchdog today called on the Malaysian authorities to conduct a "thorough and public investigation" into the 12-hour abduction of journalist Ko Minn Kyaw Minn.

"The abduction of a journalist who is trying to do his work is very troubling," said Ann Cooper, the executive director of New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Minn Kyaw, a Burmese journalist and pro-democracy activist who is married to a Malaysian, was detained and interrogated by five people who claimed to be from the police Special Branch.

It is believed that some of them could be Burmese intelligence officers.

Similarly, the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association (BMA) also urged the government to investigate into Minn Kyaw's abuction.

"It would be shocking if, as well as ceremonially receiving the head of a tyrannical and illegitimate regime, the Malaysian authorities were preventing journalists from doing their work for fear of offending a Burmese general," the two organisations said in a letter to Prime Minister and Internal Security Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

According to Minn Kyaw, he was forced off the road by two unmarked cars on Tuesday while driving to the airport in Kuala Lumpur with his wife, Yussra Shahril, to cover the arrival of Burmese Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt.

He said that three men, who identified themselves as officials from the Special Branch, handcuffed him and placed a black hood over his head.

Minn Kyaw was dragged out of the car and driven to an unknown location.

He was detained in a windowless shipping container and interrogated about his writings on Burma and pro-democracy activities.

Seek protection

A former student activist, Minn Kyaw, who is also known as Azman Ali Adam, is the editor of a fortnightly pro-democracy magazine, Burma Media Link , which is circulated in Malaysia.

"A woman accompanied by four men questioned him there," said CPJ's Cooper.

"She asked Minn Kyaw why he wrote only negative things about Burma. The men assaulted him several times during the interrogation, and one accused him of being a spy."

Cooper added that Minn Kyaw was warned not to tell anyone about his detention and was released several hours later, when Burma's PM Khin Nyunt had left the country after his one-day visit.

Yesterday, Minn Kyaw filed a police report and submitted a complaint to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) requesting an investigation and protection by the Malaysian authorities.

Police spokesperson Supt Jamshah Mustapa has denied any police knowledge or involvement and said the police are investigating the incident.