Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian police seized illegal drugs valued at 149 million ringgit (45.15 million dollars) in 2008, double the amount seized the year before, a news report said Saturday.

The police narcotics department also seized 38 million ringgit (11.5 million dollars) worth of goods and cash from drug syndicates, including seizing four boats, a piece of property, jewelry and 228 vehicles, director Zul Hasnan Najib Baharuddin said.

Chennai, Jan. 9 : Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president S. Samy Vellu has severely criticised the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader, P. Waythamoorthy, for distributing pamphlets containing severe allegations, at the ongoing Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here.

"All the allegations are lies. As a lawyer, he should know that he would have to pay for it if he tells lie," the Star quoted the MCI president Vellu, as saying.

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia's no-frills airport terminal was evacuated and more than 20 flights delayed Friday after a fire broke out at a duty-free shop in the departure hall.

No flights were cancelled in the morning fire, which caused thick smoke to choke the halls of the Low Cost Carrier Terminal and forced passengers and staff to evacuate, said Tony Fernandes, head of budget carrier Air Asia, the airport's anchor airline.

Azmi Murad, senior general manager with operator Malaysia Airports, said the fire was caused by sparks from construction works to expand the terminal.

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian police have detained 13 people believed to be part of an international drug syndicate, a news report said Wednesday.

A Singaporean and Filipina woman, a Pakistani national, seven African men and three locals were all detained Monday at several locations including the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, said Zul Hasnan Najib Baharuddin, director of the Federal Narcotics Department.

The Singaporean national was about to board a flight to Hainan, China, when airport police discovered heroin concealed in her bag, he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

Kuala Lumpur, Jan. 7: A Tamil Nesan report has said that Maly Tamils will receive land for the Sri Sakthi Nageswari Amman Temple, which is currently located in Kampung Haji Abdullah Hukum in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

According to The Star, Deputy Federal Territories Minister M. Saravanan was quoted as saying that City Hall and developer S. P. Setia had each agreed to allocate 0.2ha for the temple.

He was speaking to reporters after discussions with the temple committee, the Malaysia Hindu Sangam and MIC branch leaders at the temple last Thursday.

Lembah Pantai MIC chief R. Narayanan said the temple had been in existence for the past 80 years adding that at one time, there were about 700 Indian families living in the area.

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 6 : Malaysian Indian political leaders of the MIC, DAP and PKR will leave for Chennai this week to attend the three-day ''Pravasi Bharatiya Divas''.

Representatives of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) will also participate in the conference, which is scheduled to begin from tomorrow at the Chennai Trade Centre.

Hindraf chief P. Wathyamoorthy is also expected to participate in the Indian Diaspora Conference. Wathyamoorthy lives in a self-imposed exile in London.