A Malaysian woman charged with money laundering has asked the courts to grant her bail after she has been kept in prison for 16 months.

Dayang Sakienah, who has been in preventive custody over money laundering charges since March 2008, said the courts had breached her fundamental human right that detention must not exceed a reasonable time.

The application was filed against the Prime Minister and the Attorney General.

She pointed out that she had already filed two similar requests for bail, which were refused.

Ms Sakienah added that her cousin Ismael Ali, who was the Malaysian representative for Malta, told the courts that he was ready to allow her to stay at his house until the case was over, so she would have a permanent address - as required by the law regulating bail.

Since all the witnesses have already testified, the court could not argue that she might tamper with the evidence, she argued.

The court's decision to keep her under preventive arrest was a clear breach of her fundamental European human rights, Ms Sakienah said.

Lawyers Jose Herrera and David Camilleri filed the application.