DAP lawyers to defend five Hindraf leaders held under ISA

Sunday December 16, 2007


DAP lawyers to defend five Hindraf leaders held under ISA

PETALING JAYA: DAP lawyers will represent the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) officials detained under the Internal Security Act.

Party central executive committee member A. Sivanesan, who will be among the lawyers, said initially, the party only represented its members M. Manoharan and V. Ganabatirau who are the among the detained Hindraf officials.

The other three are lawyers P. Uthayakumar and R. Kenghadharan, and Hindraf coordinator T. Vasanthakumar.

“We only received the detention order for Manoharan on Friday and have filed an application at the Ipoh High Court.

“As for Uthayakumar and Kenghadharan, we have received the detention order and will be filing the application tomorrow.

“We will obtain the detention orders for Ganabatirau and Vasanthakumar on Tuesday,” Sivanesan told a press conference yesterday.

In Penang, Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh said he would be moving a motion in Parliament on Tuesday for a review of the detention order of the five Hindraf leaders.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/12/16/nation/19782562&sec=nation

Sunday December 16, 2007


PM: Murder charge protesters regret actions

KUALA LUMPUR: The 31 Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) protesters facing an attempted murder charge have voiced regret over their actions to Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

“They also told the A-G that they will not participate in such activities in the future.

“I pity them. I have told the A-G to please consider this representation of theirs and decide as soon as possible,” he told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting at the PWTC here yesterday.

Abdullah said this when asked whether the attempted murder charge against the 31 would be dropped following appeals from various groups, including MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, for their release.

Abdullah added that the 31 protesters had said that many people had been misled by Hindraf.

The 31 were slapped with the charge after they allegedly injured a policeman at the illegal Hindraf rally on Nov 25.

Samy Vellu had said on Friday that he had conveyed the appeal of the protesters’ parents to the Attorney-General and hoped that it would be considered favourably.

He added that the parents told him their children took part in the rally without realising the consequences and also claimed that they were hoodwinked into believing it was for a worthy cause.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/12/16/nation/19783147&sec=nation