Even another hundred arrests under the Internal Security Act (ISA) would be justified if they were carried out to safeguard the nation's security and ensure peace, a Barisan Nasional member of parliament (MP) told the Dewan Rakyat today.

MP for Sri Gading, Mohamad Aziz said he was representing the people who cherish peace and have placed much confidence in the police force.

"The police have never failed and this has increased our faith in them. We do not want to end up like Indonesia and Philippines where the people take the law into their own hands," he said during debate time on the Eighth Malaysian Plan (8MP).

Mohamad urged the House to "ketepikan" (set aside) the voices of the opposition concerning the ISA, claiming that the latter had politicised the issue of national security.

"The opposition has a political agenda. The rakyat's security is not in their agenda. There should be more arrests under the ISA. We should take in another hundred or so, it doesn't matter," he said.

At this juncture, PAS MP for Pokok Sena Mahfuz Omar was heard saying "tangkap, tangkaplah" (arrest us if you want).

However, Mohamad perservered, saying, "This is a question of security. We do not want innocent people to get hurt or killed."

He said he hoped the government would be more firm and support the police's action to uphold peace and security in the country.

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Zainal Abidin Zin replied that the government will take the necessary action within its jurisdiction on those who have broken the law.

Being used

Earlier, PAS MP for Kubang Terengganu Syed Azman Syed Ahmad questioned Zainal's 'support' for the ISA, asking if he was allowing himself to be used by the prime minister since he defected from another political party.

Zainal is a former opposition leader in the now defunct Semangat 46 which was led by former finance minister and current BN MP for Gua Musang, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

"If Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) used his political powers to detain those who opposed him or the government under the ISA, then I should have been arrested a long time ago," Zainal rebutted.

"But I will not be prostituted to give such answers. Even when I was not in the government I did not do anything against the law or regulations and that is why I was not arrested.

"We did not arrest the 10 under ISA because they are from the opposition but for their violation of the law," he explained.

He also warned Syed Azman, "Up till now, only 10 have been arrested. I hope you will be careful with your words; do not show off that you're the only one who is good and clean."

The police on April 10 and 11 arrested seven reformasi activists under the ISA for allegedly planning to topple the government through militant tactics and mass street demonstrations.

They are Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, party Youth leaders Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Abdul Ghani Haroon and N Gobalakrishnan, Free Anwar Campaign (Freeanwar.com) webmaster Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin and social activist-cum-malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais.

Two other Keadilan leaders, Dr Badrul Amin Baharom and Lokman Adam, were arrested on April 20 and 23 respectively while human rights activist Badaruddin Ismail was held on April 26.