Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email This case is getting interesting. His family and close supporters claim negligence, while SUHAKAM guy and authorities say everything was done according to rules. Perhaps its time to relook the rules if it is infringing on basic rights.
I’m surprised to hear that he is still been given starchy food. You would need a basic amount of carbo, but have to be controlled due to diabetic condition. So, is his diabetic levels being monitored?
Being in detention is the same as being a prisoner, isn’t it (except the trial part)? So, loss of weight, skin problem, stress, weakness, etc. all can be expected. Being paralysed is not.
Can a patient waive his medical report confidentiality so that his relatives can get second opinion? Specifically, can a prisoner do so? We read in papers that parents of a detainee (chinese) who died in look-up recently (I think i read it about 3 or 4 days ago) were denied access to medical reports by the police. But the guy did a medical check up before being arrested – which produced a clean bill of health.
Uthaya’s new bid for freedom, this time for medical negligence
http://malaysiakini.com/news/83253
Soon Li Tsin | May 22, 08 1:05pm
Hindraf leader and ISA detainee P Uthayakumar has filed a fresh court application against the Internal Security Ministry and Kamunting detention centre for medical negligence and endangerment to life. This came a week after the Federal Court rejected his earlier habeas corpus application challenging the validity of the detention order. Lawyer N Surendran filed the new application at the Kuala Lumpur High Court at 10.30am today on behalf of Uthayakumar who claims he has been denied medication for his diabetes.
“He has not been given medication since mid-February until April 6 this year. As a result he had to be admitted into Taiping Hospital on April 7. “It was found that his blood sugar levels shot up. Now this is a deliberate denial of medication by the camp authorities,” he said.
Habeas corpus is a writ ordering prisoners to be brought before a court or judge to ascertain if there are any procedural defects which could render their detention unlawful.
There have been rising concerns over the health of Uthayakumar, a diabetic for the past 12 years. His health condition came under spotlight when he was admitted to the hospital for dehydration after a hunger strike earlier this year.
When news of his diabetic condition arose, Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) led by N Siva Subramaniam probed the case. The commission found the lawyers’s situation to be “under control” and that he was happy with the medication given to him.
No proper diet
However, Uthayakumar’s fiancee S Indradevi said his diabetic condition has not improved because he was still being fed starchy food. “He is still being given normal food even though we said he needs to take chapati (Indian flat bread). His diabetes level is still high because they are not giving him proper diet,” she said.
Indradevi (photo, left) also noted that Uthayakumar’s physical well-being has also taken a toll from the detention. “His skin disease or allergies is getting worse. The doctors don’t know what it is. He has problems with his knees, he’s kind of limping. He has also lost five kilogrammes,” she said.
In his affidavit, Uthayakumar said he has been suffering from high blood pressure and sugar, minimal damage to heart, skin disease, ring worm, eye blurring, headaches, dizziness and weakness since he was denied medical treatment.
Meanwhile, Uthayakumar also claims that the camp authorities refuse to admit him into the National Heart Institute (IJN) despite being told by doctors to do so.
According to Surendran, doctors discovered that Uthayakumar had some damage to his heart and advised him to be admitted to IJN after a medical check up in Taiping Hospital on April 28. “Until today he has not been taken to IJN. Prison authorities and the minister has come up with a false statement saying that Uthaya is refusing to go to IJN. This is completely untrue.
“Uthaya has told them that he wants to go to IJN and he wants his family and lawyers there. It has been more than three weeks since the diagnosis and he has not been taken to IJN,” he related. “This is shocking. We are massively concerned about what might happen to him,” he added.
Surendren pointed out that government has a breached Article 5 of the federal constitution by depriving Uthayakumar his liberty and right to life. “The unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain and injury to Uthaya’s health by the authorities renders the detention unlawful and illegal,” he said.
Very secretive
Another lawyer, V Santha Devi also expressed concern over the camp authorities’ refusal to disclose information concerning Uthayakumar’s condition. “For the past two weeks we had to constantly call the camp to find out if Uthaya is at the camp because they refuse to give us information whether he is being taken out to IJN. “We specifically told them to inform the lawyers and the family concerned but they said they won’t be doing so. They’ve been very secretive about this. “Even the medical report is not made known to us. It is only between the Kamunting camp authorities and the doctors. We have to know what is happening to him,” she stated.
The hearing is set for June 25.
This guy is a compulsive lier. Refer to the statement by the Prison Dept. If it is true that he has been deprived of proper medical care, he would ahve died by now.
He is trying to politicise his medical condition. Why would the prison authorities deny his the treatment and right food ? This doesn’t make sense. No doctor in his /her right mind would allow such thing happen.
This reminds of the drama Anwar created in the prison and later found to be a big lie.
This idiot has refused to go to Penang GH and for unknown reasons only wanted to go to IJN. Then he refuses to go to IJN without his family, lawyers and supporters. He claims he is suffering from all kinds of sickness but somehow none of the doctors find this is the case.
this is a 3rd rate Kollywood drama. I wonder how long Indians going to buy this kind of lies from the conman.
people are so easily taken by false promises and words….they should check this morons track records before GOONDRAF.