KUALA LUMPUR: A Myanmar woman, who is a member of a prostitution ring, failed in her bid to get a release from two-year detention order issued by the Home Ministry.

Ra Himah and her accomplice were said to have resorted to using electric shock, among others, to force prostitutes to follow their orders.

Judicial Commissioner Zainal Azman Ab Aziz on Wednesday ruled that the detention order dated Dec 12, last year against Ra Himah was valid.

He said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh had taken into account facts in a report against Ra Himah before making such an order.

He said Wan Ahmad signed the detention order in accordance to Section 4(1) of the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime Ordinance 1969.

"It is clear that the minister had observed the facts in the investigations and have applied his mind properly to the facts when signing the order," he said in rejecting an application by Ra Himah for her release.

Documents filed by the ministry stated that Ra Himah and her accomplice had organised prostitution activities in Bukit Mertajam, Penang and forcing Thai and local women to become prostitutes since 1994.

Wan Ahmad had stated that the order against Ra Himah was made on grounds to prevent her from committing any actions that would affect public order, to eliminate violence and avoid crime involving force.

Justice Zainal Azman said Ra Himah failed to show to the court that she has sufficient cause for her release.

Her lawyer Karpal Singh said he would file an appeal against the court ruling.

Ra Himah was ordered to be detained at a rehabilitation centre in Batu Gajah for two years from Dec 12 last year.

Ra Himah filed a habeas corpus (wrongful detention) application and named Wan Ahmad and Batu Gajah rehabilitation centre superintendent as respondents.

In her affidavit, Ra Himah claimed that there had been procedural non-compliance by Wan Ahmad with the provisions of Section 4(1) of the Ordinance.