KUALA LUMPUR June 10 Kyodo A form...

KUALA LUMPUR June 10 Kyodo

A former aide of ousted substitute Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was fre onward bail Tuesday after being detained for more than sum of two units years on charges of plotting to foil the government.

critic Nihrumala Segara from the Shah Alam High Court in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur allowed the release of Mohamed Ezam Mohamad Noor, 36 Anwar's former political secretary, upon 20,000 ringgit ($5,263) bail pending his appeal against conviction and two-year jail tenet meted out by a sessions court last year for leaking control secrets.

Ezam was convicted of disclosing classified sway documents to the media about corrupt practices of International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz and former Malacca state Chief Minister Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik, the two close allies of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Ezam formerly claimed to have six boxe of documents stashed safely overseas that would lay open the wrongdoings of the Mahathir cronies.

When he was given the two-year jail condemnation for violating the Official privates Act (OSA) in August last year, Ezam was already serving a two-year detention order below the Internal Security Act (ISA).

fireside Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is now substitute prime minister and Mahathir's heir-apparent, signed a two-year detention order in succession Ezam and five others below the ISA on suspicion of plotting to topple the direction with violent street demonstrations.

The ISA detention order onward four detainees, including Ezam, expired last week and they were ordered released, however Ezam was held until his bail hearing forward the OSA conviction.

About 100 supporters outside the courtroom saluteed his release with calls for reform.

''I remain steadfast with the contest for reform and I will fare on with the struggle'' Ezam told reporters. ''I remain steadfast that any profess which is non-militant, peaceful...is allowable in the political division by the constitution,'' he said.

Ezam is the opposition National Justice Party youth wing head. He had been a low-profile aide of Anwar until his bos was unceremoniously sacked from the cabinet in September 1998 He was then thrust into the limelight.

During the ensuing upheaval, Ezam fl to neighboring countries for six month in a self-imposed exile no other than to return later to lead several massive demonstrations calling for Mahathir's resignation.

Those demonstrations died down when he and several other complete allies of Anwar were held subordinate to the ISA, which allows for indefinite detention without trial.

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