1 of 3 detainees questioned, freed

A Malaysian journalist detained in an apparent government crackdown using a tough security law was freed, but an opposition lawmaker and another journalist remained under arrest, officials said.

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar defended the trio’s seizure Friday under the Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial. He said it was necessary to prevent racial conflicts and denied that it was to thwart opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to seize power by Tuesday.

Hamid said reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, with the Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew, was released after being questioned by police.