In an hour-long debate arising from an emergency motion at the Dewan Rakyat today, Barisan Nasional and opposition parties censured the United Nations for making unverified accusations linking several Malaysian groups to the al-Qaeda terror network.

However, a government official later said the ruling party is unlikely to accept the suggestion from an opposition MP that a joint protest letter be sent to the UN urging the body to retract its allegations.

Earlier, after the question-and-answer session, Deputy Speaker Muhammad Abdullah allowed the emergency motion submitted by Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) as it fulfilled the three requirements is about a specific issue, of public interest and urgent.

The Malaysian groups linked to al-Qaeda in the recent UN Security Council report are BN, PAS, the Islamic Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) and the Indian Muslim Congress of Malaysia (Kimma).

The allegations were based on a book, Inside al-Qaeda: Global network of terror , by Dr Rohan Gunaratna.

Among others, the book stated that "several individual members of political parties in Malaysia" had maintained links with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a militant separatist group in southern Philippines.

Disappointed with Pak Lah

During the debate today, Mahfuz charged that the UN had been manipulated by the United States and had made the accusation "in the interest of the US".

"This (accusation) was a lie, slander and in bad faith. It was aimed at realising the 'Americanisation' (of the world)," he said.

He was also disappointed with Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for only looking out for BN.

Abdullah had clarified the non-involvement of the ruling party in terror activities, urging the UN to remove only BN from the report.

"I am here to protest the unverified allegations because of patriotism, because we know our country is not involved in the alleged terror activities. That's why all the groups' names should be cleared," said Mahfuz, adding that all MPs should submit a joint protest letter to the UN.

Yet, Mahfuz said, Abdullah had not stood up for PAS and had appeared to treat it as their own problem.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sabu (PAS-Kuala Kedah) noted that the injustice done to the government is akin to what it has done to the opposition.

"BN said the UN accused them without any evidence and in bad faith. This is just like what BN did to the reformasi detainees under the ISA, (charging and arresting them) without any evidence," he said.

"Just as BN had urged the UN to show proof, the government should charge those ISA detainees in court and show proof of their wrongdoing," Mohammad added, to applause from the opposition members.

Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Tanjong) and Abdul Rahman Yusof (Keadilan-Kemaman) also urged the UN to retract the report and apologise to the groups maligned.

Ball in UN's court

In his winding-up speech, Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Leo Michael Toyad said the Malaysian government had delivered its protest to the UN through Malaysia's permanent representative there, Hasmy Agam.

He said the ministry is doing its best to resolve the problem diplomatically.

He clarified that the report was done by the monitoring group of the Afghan Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council, which interpreted data from Rohan's book.

"The chart did not appear in Rohan's book, but was summarised by the UN monitoring group based on information from the book," he said.

"The chart is unverified and not true. We urge the UN to remove the allegations in the report and retract it," he added.

Speaking to reporters later, Leo Micheal said the ball is now in the UN's court to decide whether to withdraw the report or not.

"Since the government had handed over our protest, it is now up to the UN to make its decision. We are still waiting," he said.

Asked on Mahfuz's suggestion to join forces with the opposition in the protest, he said it is not necessary as the government had already sent its protest directly to the UN committee.

"Our representatives had met with officers in the New York UN office. We have explained to them that Malaysia is a multiracial, multicultural country, and it is clear that we taking firm action in against terrorism," he stressed.

Earlier today, PAS submitted two memoranda of protest to the Kuala Lumpur UN office.