Former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) chief Hasanah Abdul Hamid has been remanded for five days to facilitate a MACC investigation.

The commission's deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akril Gahrib sought a week's remand but the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court disagreed.

Hasanah, who landed in the limelight in July following the leak of a letter she had penned to the CIA ahead of the May 9 general election, was brought to the court in handcuffs wearing an orange MACC lock-up shirt.

She was arrested yesterday in relation to an investigation into the disappearance of millions of ringgit intended to be used for the last general election.

Hasanah's lawyer Shaharudin Ali said he had disputed MACC's decision to invoke Section 28A(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code which, among others, suspended his client's right to communicate with others prior to questioning.

Section 28A(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code is invoked if authorities believe it could lead to an accomplice avoiding arrest; the concealment, fabrication or destruction of evidence; or the intimidation of a witness.

It can also be invoked if authorities believe the recording of a statement must be done urgently or that it concerned the safety of other persons.

Shaharudin said he had insisted that Hasanah should be allowed to consult him before questioning but this was denied by the authorities.

The lawyer added that he would be mounting a challenge against Section 28A(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code on behalf of his client.

"We will file an action, probably tomorrow. We will not wait until the end of the remand.

"I think this will be a test case. The Federal Constitution allows an arrested person to call a lawyer but we have another law that says police officers can stop the right given by the constitution.

"We believe it's crazy," Shaharudin told journalists after the remand hearing.