IPOH, 8 Sept 2008: The High Court here today rejected habeas corpus applications by five leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) who are now detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) at the Kamunting detention centre near Taiping.
R Kengadharan, 41, M Manoharan, 46, V Ganapathy Rao, 34, P Uthayakumar, 46, and K Vasantha Kumar, 34, who filed the applications in May through the law firm of Messrs Karpal Singh & Co., had named the Home Minister and the centre’s superintendent as the respondents.
"In summary, the court finds that there has not been any contravention as alleged by the applicants of their constitutional rights to approve the habeas corpus application," said Judicial Commissioner Ridwan Ibrahim in rejecting their application.
He said the Advisory Board which recommended the extension of their detention also did not commit any wrong as it was not subject to a judicial inquest in order to make a decision.
The court was also of the view that the Advisory Board had its own methodology and procedures governed by the interest of national security. – Bernama
