KUALA LUMPUR - A MALAYSIAN court rejected a freedom bid by five Hindu rights activists being detained without trial after mounting an anti-discrimination protest, their lawyer said.

'The High Court rejected their application for freedom,' said Mr Karpal Singh who is representing the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) members who were detained under the Internal Security Act last December.

Mr Karpal said the court on Tuesday threw out the defence argument that the detention was unlawful because there had been no 60-day investigation period beforehand.

Hindraf infuriated the government by mounting a mass rally last November alleging discrimination against minority ethnic Indians in Malaysia, where the population is dominated by Muslim Malays.

They are being held in the Kamunting detention centre in northern Perak state for an initial period of two years.

Police used tear gas, water cannon and baton charges to break up the Hindraf street protest which drew 8,000 people.

Another lawyer S. Sivanesan said the detainees would on Wednesday file an appeal with the Federal Court, the highest court in the country.

Hindraf members immediately condemned the decision and vowed to punish the ruling National Front coalition in March 8 general elections.

'We are clearly disappointed with the ruling. On the 100th day of detention (on March 22), Hindraf will organise a worldwide protest,' Mr P. Waythamoorthy, a brother of one of the detainees, said from London.

Hindraf coordinator R. Thanenthiran said many Indians would cast protest vote in the polls, which are expected to reduce the government's large majority.

'We will teach the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi a lesson in the election. We will reject his government,' he said.

Ethnic Indians, who make up eight per cent of the country's population, say they are disadvantaged in terms of wealth, opportunities and education.

Muslim Malays, who make up 60 per cent, control the government while the ethnic Chinese, at 26 per cent, dominate business.