MINISTER CONFIRMS RAJA PETRA'S TWO-YEAR DETENTION IN KAMUNTING

RANTAU PANJANG (Malaysia), Sept 23 (Bernama) -- Home Minister Syed Hamid
Albar Tuesday confirmed that blogger and Malaysia Today website operator, Raja
Petra Kamaruddin has been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) at
the Kamunting Detention Camp, in northern town of Taiping for two years.

Syed Hamid said he himself had signed the detention order on Raja Petra
Monday after he was satisfied with the reasons given for his detention.

"The detention is due to Raja Petra's articles that ridiculed Islam which
could arouse anger among Muslims.

"The police had recommended his detention and after going through the
papers, we are satisfied that there are strong grounds for him to be further
detained for two years (in Kamunting)," he told reporters after a visit to the
Malaysia-Thai border area, here Tuesday.

Raja Petra was arrested under the ISA on Sept 12 as he was felt to be a
threat to public order and national security.

Besides him, two others arrested under the ISA were Seputeh member of
parliament Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, but the two
were later released.

Syed Hamid, however, said that after the first three months, the
authorities would review Raja Petra's attitude while in detention.

"Then the second review will be after six months, and we'll see whether he
can be released or not," he added.

Syed Hamid said the people should understand why the government decided to
use the ISA, as what was important was to turn offenders into members of society
who could contribute to nation building.

He said to date, he had not received any official proposals to free the
other ISA detainees.

"If there are, I will look at them. But again what is more important is for
the detainees to change to be able to return to society and together with other
citizens, take part in nation building," he said.