A total of 102 people are currently being held in detention without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which has been used to arrest more than 10,000 people since 1960, parliament was told today.

The figures were provided in a written answer by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also minister for internal security, parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said in a statement.

More than 80 of those currently held under the ISA are suspected Islamic militants, many allegedly linked to the regional Jemaah Islamiah terrorist group.

The act, originally designed to combat a communist rebellion half a century ago, allows for two year detention periods without trial, which can be renewed indefinitely.

Political dissent

Critics charge that the ISA is used to crush political dissent. The government maintains it is an essential tool against terrorism.

Lim said that of the 10,662 people arrested under the act in the past 44 years, 4,139 were issued with formal detention orders and 2,066 were served with restriction orders governing their activities and where they live.

Lim, who was detained twice under the ISA, leads the biggest opposition party in parliament, the Democratic Action Party.