The legal process being undertaken in the case of Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah should be respected, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said.

"All parties should respect and adhere to the legal principles being practised.

"The detention of Maria under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 is part of a preventative measure taken by the authorities," Azalina said in a press statement today.

The act provides the detainee with the right to legal advice, she added, comparing it to the abolished Internal Security Act (ISA).

The detention period for Sosma was also shorter, Azalina said, with a maximum of 28 days for the investigation to take place.

Maria had used her rights, as was allowed under the Federal Constitution, by filing a habeas corpus application in court, which meant she could challenge the grounds of detention and its procedures, she said.

Azalina added that this meant the power of judicial review had been returned fully to the courts, as compared against the repealed ISA.

"This shows that the law in Malaysia today is improving and becoming in line with human rights practices," she said.

Everyone should leave it to the police to perform their investigations professionally, she said.

Maria was arrested under Sosma last Friday, a day before the Bersih 5 rally, for investigations under Section 124C of the Penal Code for attempting "activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy".

This came after it was revealed that the electoral reform movement received funds from the George Soros-linked Open Society Foundations.

Maria is currently being held in Kuala Lumpur, in solitary confinement, for up to 28 days.

Her habeas corpus application is set for case management tomorrow.