PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia's Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Malaysian journalist Mok Choy Lin, who is employed by Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), was detained by the Myanmar authorities last Friday (Oct 27).

It said in a statement that Mok's detention was due to an unauthorised video recording with the use of a drone of the Hluttaw Building, Myanmar's Parliament building, in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw.

Mok was detained along with Singaporean Lau Hon Meng and two Myanmar nationals.

"The foreign ministry through the Malaysian embassy in Yangon is monitoring the case and will render the necessary consular assistance accordingly," the ministry said.

It was reported that Mok, Lau and the two locals had been charged by Myanmar police for breaching import laws and face up to three years' jail or a fine if found guilty.

They will be in custody until their first court hearing for the import and export of "restricted or banned goods" without obtaining a licence, the report said.

"We have opened a case against all four - two foreigners and two Burmese.

"They will be held on remand until Nov 10," the report quoted deputy police colonel Kyaw Moe as saying.

The four were arrested last Friday while they were on assignment for the Turkish state broadcaster TRT.

The report said Mok, 47, and Lau, 44, were working with well-known Myanmar journalist Aung Naing Soe, who was working as an interpreter, and a local driver Hla Tin.

The Myanmar information ministry said in a statement last Saturday that the Singapore and Malaysian embassies had been informed.