(AFP) A Malaysian opposition leader who has already been detained without charge on security grounds will face trial again next month for leaking official secrets, a court decided today.

Mohamed Ezam Mohamed Noor, a former close aide to jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, faces a jail term of not less than one year and not more than seven years if convicted of breaching the Official Secrets Act.

He is accused of disclosing to reporters details of an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency into International Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz and former Malacca state chief minister Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik.

A court set July 14 for resumption of his secrets trial, Bernama news agency reported.

Ezam, 34, is youth chief of Keadilan headed by Anwar's wife. He was one of 10 Anwar supporters arrested in April under the Internal Security Act which allows detention without trial.

Ezam and five others have now been sent to a prison camp for up to two years while four others have been freed.

Authorities say Anwar's supporters planned violent street demonstrations to topple the government. Opponents say the security law is being used to stifle peaceful dissent to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's 20-year rule.

Other charges

Ezam also faces trial on a number of other alleged offences. In March he was charged with sedition, punishable by up to three years' jail, over his alleged call for mass anti-government protests.

On Monday he and another opposition leader were taken from their prison camp to court to face charges of rioting and wrongful confinement over an incident during a by-election last November.

Those charges are punishable by a maximum three years' jail.

Anwar is serving a total of 15 years in prison for abuse of power and sodomy. He says he was framed to avert a political challenge to Mahathir, who denies the allegation.