Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 2: The Malaysian Indian Congress Youth has set up a watchdog committee to monitor cases of brutality and deaths in police lock-ups.

According to the New Strait Times, the committee comprises seven lawyers and three representatives from non-governmental organisations, all members of MIC Youth.

Acting MIC Youth chief T. Mohan said the committee had already begun compiling the details of the death of A. Kugan from the police and his family.

Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian airport police detained an Indian national found carrying 7.5 kilograms of the hallucinogen ketamine hidden in soap bars upon his arrival at the international airport, news reports said Sunday.

The suspect, in his 40s, had arrived at the Bayan Lepas International Airport in the northern Penang state Thursday night from Bangkok, Thailand with 147 soap bars hidden in his two bags, the Star daily reported.

Kuala Lumpur  - More than 4,000 people have forced from their homes by rising floodwaters in Malaysia's eastern state of Sarawak on Borneo island, a news report said Friday.

A total of 4,370 people from 26 areas have been placed at 27 temporary relief centres statewide since the evacuations started this week, the Star newspaper said on its website.

Heavy rainfall in the past few weeks has caused the levels of the state's many rivers to swell and flood residential towns.

Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian police have detained 12 people, including six Singaporean nationals, believed to be part of an illegal gambling syndicate that raked in
172.8 million ringgit (52.4 million dollars) over the past six months, a news report said Thursday.

The suspects, aged between 18 and 48, were detained during a series of raids recently conducted in the southern state of Johor, the Star daily said.

The raids also resulted in the seizure of fax machines, laptops, betting slips and mobile phones.

Kuala Lumpur, Jan. 28 : The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has said that it will defend the two deputy ministers who went to the mortuary where A. Kugan's remains were if any action is taken against them.

MIC president S. Samy Vellu said the party would defend both K. Devamany and Senator T. Murugiah although the latter was from the People's Progressive Party, another component party in Barisan Nasional.

Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian thieves managed to evade four security guards and six guard dogs to break into the home of a former cabinet member, only to make away with three pairs of shoes, a news report said Wednesday.

One of the security guards at the home of former finance minister Daim Zainuddin noticed the missing shoes late Sunday and lodged a police report, the Star daily said.

Daim and his family were away on holiday at the time of the break-in, the report said.