Author:
Publication: Asian Tribune
Date: December 12, 2007
URL: http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/8691#comment
Malaysian police rearrested P. Uthayakumar,
a Human Rights Lawyer and the Legal adviser of Hindu Rights Action Force of
Malaysia (HINDRAF), and dragged him like a dog to Pudu Jail Police Station
and locked him up yesterday evening, to clamp the third sedition charge on
him today in the courts.
As Malaysian police cuffed him in his right
wrist and dragged him, his right wrist was swollen and injured. He lodged
a complaint with the police station for the police excesses. He was then taken
to the hospital for treatment and medical report and subsequently thrown into
the police cell.
It all happened yesterday morning when Uthayakumar
left his house located in Banghsar, in Kula Lumpur and got into his car to
leave for the courts. One Police Inspector Saleh who was in plain cloth, accompanied
by three other plain cloth policemen surrounded his car as he got into it
at Jalan Maros, and arrested him.
Uthayakumar told Asian Tribune that he was
so shocked when he saw the plain cloth policemen surrendering his car and
arrest him. He said, "I thought that they wanted to shoot me. There was
a similar incident that took place 21/2 years ago," he said.
"There was no need to cause such alarm.
They could have walked into my house and arrested me, or else they could have
arrested me when I walked to my car," Uthayakumar said.
He said, "I was taken to the Kula Lumpur
Session Courts and charged for sedition for the second time under 4 (1)©
of the Sedition Act of Malaysia."
Uthayakumar was for the second time charged
for sedition; it is learnt, for sending a memorandum to Gordon Brown, British
Prime Minister. The full text of the Memorandum address to British Prime Minister
and sent on 15 November is given at the end of this news report.
It is learnt, according to the charge, the
person who is charged under section 4 (1)© will face three years jail
sentence or would be imposed with a maximum fine of Malaysian Ringgit 5,000,
or both.
In the morning at the Session Courts, Malaysia's
Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patali was personally present to conduct the
case on behalf of the Government to ensure Uthayakumar was not given bail
by the judge.
In fact Malaysian Attorney General is a member
of the Legal and Judicial Service Commission of Malaysia and the judges promotions,
dismissals and transfers are usually subjected to Attorney General's approval.
According to an Advocate, who wishes to remain
anonymous, said that Attorney General should not have appeared before the
Session Courts judge Ms. Sabariah Yusof, as it was impossible for the judge
to decide without fear or favor.
Though Attorney General insisted that bail
should not be granted to Uthayakumar, the court ordered the impounding of
Uthayakumar's passport and released him on Malaysian Ringgit 50,000 bail.
Uthaykumar when contacted told Asian Tribune,
that "As I left the courtroom by 5 PM on Tuesday, I was rearrested. When
I asked for the arrest warrant, the police said that they don't have one.
At that time Uthayakumar was arrested, there
were about 1,000 HINDRAF supporters outside the Court house.
While 50 policemen kept the HANDRAF supporters
at bay, Police in the melee manacled Uthayakumar right hand and started dragging
him like a dog to the Pudu Jail Police station.
At the police station, Uthayakumar was grilled
for more than 4 hours. After the police interrogation, Uthayakumar's right
arm wrist was swollen and he started wriggling in pain.
Uthayakumar then lodged a complaint against
the police for its excesses. After lodging the police complaint, he was taken
to the hospital by the police for treatment. After the treatment Uthayakumar
was thrown into the police cell.
It is expected that Uthayakumar would face
the third seditious charges when he is produced before the courts today morning.
