PETALING JAYA, 12 May 2009: DAP has requested for a meeting with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to ask him to revoke the conditions that have been imposed on recently released Hindraf leaders.
“If [the Hindraf leaders] are ‘no more a threat to the country’ in the eyes of the home minister, then why have restrictive, unjust and undemocratic conditions been imposed on them?” said DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang in a press conference at the party headquarters today.
Lim said the restrictions imposed on M Manoharan, K Vasantha Kumar, P Uthayakumar, V Ganabatirau and R Kengadharan denied them the right to be treated as free and equal Malaysians.
Manoharan, who is Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson, Uthayakumar and Vasanthakumar were released from the Kamunting detention camp on 9 May. Ganabatirau and Kengadharan were released on 5 April.
Manoharan has since revealed that he is expected to follow six conditions following his release, until 13 Dec. These are:
1) He must live within the “Klang police district”.
2) He cannot change his residential address without written permission from the Selangor police chief.
3) He is not allowed to leave Klang without written permission from the Selangor police chief.
4) He must constantly inform the police of his whereabouts.
5) He must report to the Klang police station every Monday, between 8am and 5pm, until 13 Dec 2009.
6) He must work to maintain peace and stability in the country, and maintain good behaviour.
Manoharan, who was also at the press conference today, has since breached these conditions several times, most notably when he visited the Selangor state assembly building on 11 May.
“These restrictions are unconstitutional, as it contradicts my freedom of movement as a Malaysian citizen, under Article 9 of the Federal Constitution,” Manoharan said.
Article 9 says that “every citizen has the right to move freely throughout the Federation”, subject to laws pertaining to security, public order, public health, or the punishment of offenders.
“I intend to file a civil suit to have these restrictions declared null and void,” Manoharan said.
This action comes on top of the assemblyperson’s planned RM100 million suit against the home minister, federal government, and others over his 18-month “unlawful detention” under the Internal Security Act.
“The Home Minister’s restrictions are preventing me from performing my duties as a state assemblyperson,” Manoharan said, adding that he intended to move to Klang to better serve his constituency.
Lim said he would also raise the subject of lifting the ban on Hindraf when he meets Hishammuddin. Hindraf was declared an illegal organisation in October last year by then Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
“If the Home Ministry now holds that the five Hindraf leaders are no more a threat to the country, surely the same judgement must apply to Hindraf,” Lim said. 
ipoh mali says
That’s why Uthayakumar refused to leave his cell.
If you want to release someone from ISA, you don’t make him sign all this nonsense.
I wonder why the other four Hindraf guns signed the condition letters?
Should have followed Uthaya. Very proud of him.