Journalist Tan Hoon Cheng was released this afternoon and is now back at her house in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

It is learnt that she was released from a police station in Ipoh, Perak, at about 2.30pm, and escorted back to her home by the police.

It was earlier reported that she was to be taken to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, following her arrest last night. However, she only got as far as Ipoh.

Former ISA detainee and DAP leader Lim Kit Siang said that Tan made "history" for being detained the shortest period under the ISA - less then 20 hours.

tan hoon cheng 04 120908 Tan, 33, was arrested at 8.30 last night under the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial.

"She spent Friday night in the police lockup and the next morning was being taken down to Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur by car but U-turned at Ipoh to return to Penang as 'instruction' came for her release," said Lim.

According to Tan, she was sent by the police back to her house in Taman Muhibbah and the first thing she did on reaching home at 4pm was to hug her 65-year-old mother.

The Sin Chew Daily senior journalist said she gave a statement to the police in a number of police stations - both in Penang and Perak - during the nearly 16-hour period she was under the police custody.

She said she had provided information to police on "certain issues", which she declined to elaborate.

However, she hinted she was questioned by the police on the suspended Bukit Bendera Umno division leader Ahmad Ismail's speech during the recent Pernatang Pauh by-election.

Controversy ensued after Tan reported the local party chieftain's inflammatory speech.

Tan maintained that what she wrote was what she heard from him during a rally.

"I did not fabricate facts. What I wrote was exactly what I heard," she said.

'I will not quit'

When asked whether she felt intimidated by her ordeal and quit as a journalist, her reply was a big 'No'.

"I will not quit. I will not stop writing.

tan hoon cheng released back home 130908.jpg "I will continue to work as a free and fair journalist," she told several reporters, who gathered at her house following her release from ISA detention.

"I still don't know why I was detained under ISA," she said of her detention which sent shock waves in Penang journalism circle last night.

A candlelight vigil was held last night at both Penang and Seberang Perai Tengah district police headquarters to protest her detention.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and scores of other elected representatives, leaders from Gerakan and MCA has called on the authorities to release her, and two other detainees - opposition MP and Selangor exco Teresa Kok and controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

Release expected

Her freedom after a 16-hour ISA detention was anticipated as Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar had earlier said that Tan could be released as early as today.

Speaking from Johor Baru this morning, Syed Hamid justified Tan's detention under the ISA with the reason that it was part of the government's preventive measure "to ensure her safety".

syed hamid albar putrajaya pc 310708 01 The minister claimed police intelligence have indicated that the journalist's life was under threat after she reported an Umno division leader's allegedly racist remarks.

"We have no intention of holding a reporter as after all she was just taking notes of the comments made by a certain party that led to a public debate.

"She may be released as soon as today after police have obtained all information needed," Syed Hamid was quoted as saying by Star Online .

The minister added that Kok's arrest was linked to her comment over the mosque and the morning prayers which had allegedly "created public disorder and problems".

Syed Hamid also stressed the government was "not making arrests just for the sake of arrests."

"We will not make any more arrests under the ISA as long as there is no more disturbance to public peace and order," he explained.