Posts Tagged ‘ISA’

Uthaya being treated at hospital says minister

March 2nd, 2009
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Two questions here:

1. If Uthaya is being treated at Teluk Intan hospital, why wasn’t it announced earlier before the gathering to do mass police report?

2. Is the treatment suitable and sufficient, with independent observers being present? I think to avoid any misconception and unnecessary anger of the community against the government, there should be some independent verification.

Perhaps Dr S Subra should follow up on Syed Hamid’s information to verify if indeed Uthaya is being given appropriate treatment for his complications.

Internal Security Act detainee P. Uthayakumar is being treated for his illness at a government hospital, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said yesterday.

He was speaking after receiving RM170,000 from donors for the purchase of a building that will house an education centre under the administration of the Malacca Indians Development Association.

“It is the right of each and every Malaysian to be treated at the government hospital and in Uthayakumar’s case, I was informed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar that he has been receiving treatment at the Teluk Intan Hospital,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam said he hoped that the government would make arrangements should Uthayakumar need specialist treatment for his diabetes-afflicted foot.

He was commenting on Uthayakumar’s supporters lodging police reports over alleged improper medical treatment for his diabetic complications and the use of water cannon to disperse about 200 of them near the Brickfields police station on Saturday.

Dr Subramaniam said: “I just want the public to be aware that the government is giving medical treatment to Uthayakumar. If the need arises, I hope that the government will grant him permission to seek treatment at a specialist centre.”

Doctors offer to treat Uthayakumar for free

February 28th, 2009
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I don’t think cost is issue for treatment of Uthaya until need to have  free service of volunteer doctors. It should be procedural, administrative, or political reasons that’s hampering the medical treatment.

Though I’m curious why he always insists on Gleneagles, I do understand his skepticism on using government hospitals as the results may be compromised. And the public themselves may question the results due to the connections between civil service and politics.

I believe he should be given a chance for independent assessment so that the public can get the true picture. His foot is being diagnosed with many symptoms – gangrenous, producing pus, fractured toes, swelling; while there are allegations that his diet is not diabetic-friendly to the point that it may kill him.

Many private doctors have come forward offering to treat ISA detainee P. Uthayakumar for free, said Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran.

Since Uthayakumar’s wife revealed that her diabetic husband was not getting proper medical treatment, Kulasegaran said he has received over five calls from doctors over the past week.

“They offered to go but the authorities have not granted any of their request. It would not cost them anything.

“I have raised the matter in Parliament and hope that the Malaysian government will listen,” he told reporters after lodging a police report over the alleged mistreatment of Uthayakumar here on Saturday.

He was accompanied by about 15 Makkal Sakti members and other Pakatan Rakyat supporters.

Kulasegaran also voiced concern for Uthayakumar, a leader of the banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), who appeared to be suffering from the early stages of gangrene from fractures in his left foot.

“The Home Affairs Minister must know that Malaysians will hold him and the Government liable if anything happens to Uthayakumar,” he added.

Makkal Sakti Ipoh coordinator J. Vijayalingam told reporters that Uthayakumar was spotted with his foot swollen and “oozing pus” when he was brought to the Kuala Lumpur Court for his sedition trial on Feb 3.

HINDRAF 5 court appeal dismissed

February 11th, 2009
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Malaysiakini was first to report this:

The Federal Court today dismissed the motion to review the habeas corpus application of five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders currently held under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

MCPX

Their earlier application at the apex court had been dismissed.

On May 14, Chief Judge of Malaya Alauddin Mohd Sheriff (now Court of Appeal president) who was leading a three-member panel, dismissed the Hindraf leaders’ appeal.

The dismissal came after it was ruled that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was also the Internal Security Minister then, had lawfully executed the order for their detention.

The panel also agreed with the findings of Kuala Lumpur High Court judicial commissioner Zainal Aznam Abdul Aziz who held that the minister could order a person to be detained under section 8 of the ISA on 26 last year.

However, no written judgements were provided by the panel, which also included Justices Ariffin Zakaria and Hashim Yusof.

Following the apex court’s decision, their counsel Karpal Singh filed an application for a review.

… This morning, the Federal Court ruled that it did not intend to review the May 14 decision and dismissed the motion without cost.

Uthaya not provided treatment for fractured toe

February 6th, 2009
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After getting a court order to obtain medical treatment, look at what HINDRAF leader and ISA detainee Uthaya found out:

Surendran told Malaysiakini that the doctor who examined Uthayakumar informed him that his swollen left foot was due to a fracture in his small toe.

I guess fractured toe will need a plaster or at least bandaged to minimise movement. A proper rest and it will heal within weeks.

The doctor also did not provide more treatment, says the lawyer for Uthaya:

Moreover, Surendran added that the doctor also denied Uthayakumar any medication for the pain.

“He (Uthayakumar) also asked to be admitted because of a previous heart ailment, but the doctor dismissed the request saying that the beds in hospital were all occupied,” complained Surendran. [valid reason, but they could have also referred to another hospital?]

…  According to Surendran, the doctor who treated Uthayakumar, had jotted down the medical notes in a “police book”.

“She also refused to admit him although he (Uthayakumar) has a diabetic condition,” said the lawyer, adding that Uthayakumar had insisted on seeing an orthopaedic specialist but this was denied.

Meanwhile, Surendran also complained that the police had blindfolded Uthayakumar when taking him to the hospital and since there were stairs, his injured toe kept colliding with the stairs.

He also claimed that the police officer who had accompanied him kept taunting his client.

Following this, the family of Uthaya lodged a police report against HKL and the doctor:

ISA detainee P Uthayakumar’s family has lodged a police report calling for immediate action against Kuala Lumpur Hospital and the doctor who conducted Uthayakumar’s medical check-up on Feb 3.

MCPX

Uthayakumar’s fiancée S Indradevi today filed the report at the Brickfields police station claiming that when Uthayakumar was taken to the hospital for treatment on his foot, Dr Nurul Aida who had examined him merely said he had a fractured toe and discharged him.

“(She) refused to admit him even though he was a long-time diabetic, had fever, his toe was blacken and his left leg was swollen,” stated Indradevi in her report.

“I want an immediate investigation into the conduct of the hospital and the doctor involved as well as the abuse by police officers.

No medication was given by the doctor and no treatment was given for the fractured bone,” she said.

Indradevi who visited Uthayakumar at the Kamunting detention centre yesterday said she was shocked when Uthayakumar recounted the abuses he went through.

Furthermore, she said that she feared for his safety at the detention centre as the police were “wilfully negligent and abusive”.

However, Uthayakumar who had filed a separate six-page report at the Kamunting police station also complained that the doctor was negligent when handling his case.

“I had related and the said doctor had recorded my complaint that I have been a diabetic for about 14 years, my swollen left leg and the darkening last toe as well as the discolouration of the other adjoining toes and my hypokenetic heart condition,” said Uthayakumar’s report.

“… (And I) also wanted to be treated and consulted by a cardiologist and whether I should start taking aspirin tablets,” he said.

Uthayakumar added that he wanted to be referred to the Gleneagles Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur for “an independent medical treatment and for blood and urine test to be carried out especially to rule out a diabetic gangrene and any kidney malfunction”.

“Despite the above, he said the doctor had refused to admit me at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital ward even at least until the swelling on my leg subsided.

“I now fear for my personal safety and health and in the future I will refuse to to return to police remand centre to facilitate my court appearance or to any place,” he said in the report.

Uthayakumar stressed that he would “only be prepared to stay at another prison or detention centre when escorted and controlled by the prison authorities” and not the police officers.

Makkal Sakthi asks Obama to close Kamunting

January 20th, 2009
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This is just a symbolic move by Makkal Sakthi. But what caught my attention was their tactic to just have four people gather to hold a banner, meaning there’s no need to apply for a police permit. Smart fellas.

And guess what,  there were 100 policemen there!!! How nice if these guys were deployed in crime infested areas in such short time. Sure can catch some criminals.

By the way, their rep in New York is also expected to pass a petition to Barack Obama

The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has sought the help of US president-elect Barack Obama to close the Kamunting detention camp in Taiping, Perak.

MCPX

Four Hindraf members made the plea in a press statement issued today, saying that the movement welcomes Obama’s decision to close the camp for suspected militants in Guantanamo Bay.

The four held up a banner outside the US Embassy in Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, in a 15-minute demonstration this morning.

The assembled police force of about 100 personnel was surprised at the ‘small’ turnout. However, this was Hindraf’s bid to get around the restriction on gatherings of more than four people, which require a police permit.

In the statement signed by S Jayathas, Hindraf also congratulated Obama on his inauguration – scheduled for 1am tomorrow, Malaysian time.

Hindraf – banned by the government on Oct 15 last year – also said it counts on his support to help Indian Malaysians who “are being suppressed by the Umno-led government”.

R Shan, the movement’s representative in New York, is expected to hand over a petition to Obama in Washington today.

A similar petition will be submitted to Najib Abdul Razak when he becomes the prime minister of Malaysia in March.