HONG KONG (AFP) - Seventeen Malaysians began a 24-hour fast here today to protest against a controversial security law and call for the release of four opposition activists in Malaysia.

Spokesman for the group, Tsui Hon-kwong, said a petition had been handed over to Consul Ahmad Ismail at the Malaysian Consulate in Hong Kong calling for the abolition of the country's Internal Security Act (ISA).

The ISA has been invoked to detain four opposition activists in Malaysia without trial for up to two years.

"We want the government to immediately abolish this act that allows people to be put behind bars without proof," said Tsui.

Tsui said that as well as the fast outside the Malaysian Consulate in Wanchai, protests would also be held in London, Bangkok and Malaysia.

The petition said the "arbitrary arrest and detention without trial" under the ISA was "a violation of the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly, to recourse to legal defence and a fair trial and in itself amounts to a form of torture."

"We will study this petition carefully and then forward it to the (Malaysian) government," the consul told AFP .

Four transferred to detention camp

The four activists in Malaysia, who have been transferred to a detention camp, are among 10 supporters of jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim who were arrested under the ISA between April 10 and 26.

Three of the four are leading members of the opposition National Justice Party headed by Anwar's wife.

Opponents say the law, which allows indefinite detention without trial, is being used to suppress peaceful opposition to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's 20-year rule.

Mahathir and the police have justified the ISA arrests on grounds that Anwar's supporters planned to overthrow the government in violent street demonstrations. No evidence has been made public.

Two other ISA detainees are still in police custody, two have been ordered to be freed by a high court judge and two have been voluntarily released by police.

Anwar is serving a total of 15 years in prison for abuse of power and sodomy. He says he was framed to avert a political challenge to Mahathir, who denies the allegation.