The men, accused of belonging to the Malaysian Militant Group which is allegedly linked to the Jemaah Islamiyah militants, ended their fast last Friday after 19 days, the Abolish ISA Movement said.

They were detained in 2001 under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for two-year detention periods that can be renewed indefinitely. Among them was Nik Adli, son of the opposition Islamic Partyspiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

The men embarked on a hunger strike at the Kamunting detention centre in northern Perak state on March 1 to press the government to either charge or release them.

The Abolish ISA Movement said the 16 detainees ended their protest after the camp commander promised to evaluate their cases and make a special report, while home ministry officials pledged to consider a review.

The pressure group called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who won a landslide victory in Sunday's elections, to abolish the ISA.

"We urge the new government to release all ISA detainees or else charge them in an open court," it said.

The detainees have received support from the state-backed Malaysian Human Rights Commission, the New York-based Human Rights Watch as well as Amnesty International.

Malaysia is holding more than 80 alleged Islamic militants under the ISA, which the government says is needed as a first line of defence against terrorism.

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