(AFP) - The fate of Philippine Muslim leader Nur Misuari remained a mystery today, six days after his arrest in Sabah.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Malaysia would deport the rebel leader as soon as Manila was ready to receive him.

"We don't want to keep him for too long," Abdullah was quoted as saying by Bernama. But the Philippines government has made it clear it is in no hurry to have the troublesome former governor of a Muslim self-rule area in the south back on its hands.

Malaysia says it will deport Misuari "at an appropriate time", but is studying a request by Philippine President Gloria Arroyo that it charge the former governor for illegal entry and detain him a while longer.

Misuari, who was arrested last Saturday is facing rebellion charges in connection with an armed revolt last week in the southern Philippines.

Waiting game

"It's a waiting game. (What happens to Misuari) is just a matter of time when the Philippines is ready and we will deport," a police spokesman in Kota Kinabalu told AFP today.

"We are already prepared to have him deported."

Malaysia has been keeping Misuari's whereabouts a secret, and government officials have declined to indicate how much longer the guerrilla-turned-governor will be detained.

"Nobody seems to know where he is, but they are keeping mum about his whereabouts for security reasons," the spokesman said.

Misuari fled the Philippines last week after allegedly masterminding a series of attacks on security installations in the southern island of Jolo in which at least 113 people died.

He reportedly staged the revolt after President Arroyo backed a rival faction within his Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in polls for the post of governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

No asylum

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had earlier said the 60-year Misuari would not be granted asylum by Muslim-majority Malaysia, which gave him and his guerrillas sanctuary in the early 1970s.

Defense Minister Najib Razak said Wednesday Kuala Lumpur would not allow the rebel leader to leave and seek political asylum elsewhere even if there were countries willing to accept him.

Mahathir had criticised Misuari's MNLF faction for failing to develop the ARMM, where he had been governor since signing a peace treaty with Manila in 1996.