Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email NST, Star, and Malaysiakini reported similar stuff:
ISA detainee P. Uthayakumar’s sedition trial has been postponed to April 28 to allow him to undergo treatment for diabetes.
He obtained a court order to refer him to a government hospital. He had initially asked to be sent to a private hospital (NST quoted Gleneagles) but the request was rejected.
Earlier, at 10.50am, he aas brought to the KL Sessions Court at, wearing a white shirt and torn pants.
He hugged and shook hands with his mother, fiancee and supporters. Talking to reporters, he claimed he hurt his toe while in detention which is now turning black and could be amputated. He asked the prison authority to send him to Gleneagles Hospital for treatment but was ignored.
He also asked the ISA Advisory Board to release the other three lawyers, claiming that only he and his brother Waytha Moorthy were responsible for Hindraf. The rest are just legal advisors and not in charge of daily affairs.
The ISA detainee wanted a private hospital but the court order gave him a government hospital.
He was brought to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for trial for sedition for publishing material on a website alleging “ethnic cleansing” of Malaysian Indians.
Earlier Tuesday,Uthayakumar had told reporters that he had asked the prison authorities to send him to a private hospital to attend to his swollen left leg but that they had not responded.
“My foot is darkening which shows acute diabetes. It is spreading to my toes. It can be chronic and shows risk of amputation.
“So today I asked my lawyers to get a court order so that I can get medical attention in a priovate hospital,” he said.
He also told reporters that he had informed the prison authorities that only he and his brother P. Waytha Moorthy, now in self-imposed exile abroad, were responsible for Hindraf.
He said the three other lawyers detained with him under ISA – M. Manoharan, V. S. Ganapathy Rao, K. Kengadhadran – were mere legal advisers and not involved in the day-to-day operations of the now-banned Hindraf.
The sedition trial against Uthayakumar is over a letter posted on a website linked to Hindraf. The original letter, addressed to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, highlighted alleged marginalisation of Indian Malaysians.
The letter also sought the British government’s help to move an emergency UN resolution condemning ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Malaysia.
He had been charged with sedition on Dec 11, 2007, and was on RM50,000 bail before being arrested two days later under the ISA, which provides for detention without trial.
Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 carries a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or a jail term not exceeding three years, or both for a first offence.
During the last hearing on Oct 20, 2008, the court heard arguments on alleged bias by the Attorney-General.
Defence counsel M Manogaran had claimed that the AG had sought to prosecute Uthayakumar over the letter as a result of “bad blood between them”.
As such he had said that the consent form signed by the AG was invalid.
Sessions Judge Sabariah Othman then adjourned the hearing to today to hear further submissions.
More than 45 people had gathered at the court complex this morning to support Uthayakumar.
