The government was embroiled Wednesday in efforts to defuse diplomatic rows with neighbouring Indonesia and the Philippines over its whipping and deportation of illegal immigrants, with officials denying that harsh conditions had led to children dying.

A foreign ministry official said Indonesian ambassador Hadi A Wayarabi had been summoned to hear Kuala Lumpur's concern over the security of its citizens after protestors toppled the main gate of the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta and burnt the national flag.

The foreign ministry requested protection for its citizens, he said, and quoted the ambassador as saying that Indonesia respected the repatriation of illegal immigrants and would not interfere with the internal affairs of Malaysia.

The protestors were enraged by Malaysia's tough new penalties for illegal immigrants, which include a minimum jail sentence of six months and up to six strokes of the cane - a punishment described as "insulting and inhumane".

The courts have imposed caning sentences on groups of illegal immigrants almost daily since the July 31 expiry of an amnesty which saw the exodus of more than 300,000 people, most of them Indonesians.

Demonstrators also took to the streets in Manila Wednesday, when a small group scuffled with security guards and Malaysian embassy personnel, chanting "Filipino deportees have human rights too" and trying to force their way into the embassy before being driven away by riot police.

Arroyo concerned

President Gloria Arroyo has also expressed concern at the suffering of Filipino illegals held at detention centers while awaiting deportation from Malaysia, her spokesman said.

She is "very concerned, especially when she saw that tape," spokesman Ignacio Bunye said on local radio, referring to television footage of the holding centers in Sabah.

In the footage, at least one woman was seen weeping over her dead child.

Arroyo "is personally doing something about it," Bunye said, adding her actions would be revealed later.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Blas Ople summoned the Malaysian envoy on Tuesday to express concern over the alleged mistreatment which allegedly led to the deaths of several Filipino infants.

But some congressmen are calling for stronger action, including talks between Arroyo and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Malaysian official said that on the Indonesian front, a meeting between Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar and his counterpart Hassan Wirayuda was being planned. He refused to comment on the protest by the Philippines.

No response

Philippines ambassador Jose Brillantes told AFP the Malaysian authorities had not yet responded to the protest note.

"Clearly, when deaths happen, there is no recourse but to bring the issue to attention. The note is not intended to exert damage on the relations. It is better for Southeast Asian brothers to ventilate their disagreement so that it can be settled," said Brillantes.

"There is a lot of anger in the Philippines," he said.

According to Philippine legislators, at least seven Filipino children have died in recent days after being subjected to unhygienic conditions in holding areas crammed with hundreds of illegal immigrants awaiting deportation from Sabah.

The allegation drew a swift denial from Deputy Home Minister Zainal Abidin Zain.

"That is not true at all. We limit the centres to reasonable numbers and we do provide them with adequate food supply and healthy living conditions," he told Wednesday's New Straits Times newspaper.

Zainal said a report that a child had died last Saturday in a holding centre was being treated very seriously and would be investigated.

"However, if the other allegations are true, we cannot be held responsible if others have died upon arriving in the Philippines. It's no longer in our hands," he was quoted as saying. AFP