PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should be detained under the Internal Security Act, former UN rapporteur Datuk Param Cumaraswamy said.

He said Dr Mahathir's public speech on May 17 in Johor Baru bordered on sedition. Dr Mahathir had allegedly used words with racial overtones in his speech.

Param said going by the reason for detaining 106 people during Operasi Lallang, when it was said they had indulged in 'race-baiting' which threatened the majority of Malaysians, then surely the same criteria could now be applied to Dr Mahathir for apparently 'resorting to racial tactics'.

He said while he was opposed to the use of the ISA, the principle of equality should require the Government to consider detaining Dr Mahathir before he did further damage.

'A dose of his own medicine which he administered to the 106 in 1987 should be in order to rehabilitate him in Kamunting,' he said.