TAIPING, 9 May 2009: All three Hindraf leaders, M Manoharan, K Vasantha Kumar and P Uthayakumar were among 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees who left the Kamunting Detention Centre in phases, here today.
Manoharan, 48, the Kota Alam Shah state assemblyperson and Vasantha Kumar, 36, who came out at 2.30pm left in separate cars while Uthayakumar, 47, emerged at 2.55pm.
Lawyer Uthayakumar who left in a family member’s car, later stopped by the roadside, to speak to the press.
The Hindu Action Rights Front (Hindraf) legal adviser who thanked his friends and supporters but not the government (because ISA still in force), added that he would not adhere to conditions set for his release but did not say what the conditions were.
Earlier, about 12.40pm, a group of detainees who were released, left in an Immigration Department van while another group which came out at 1.20pm in an unidentified van, was escorted by a number of police cars.
Yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein announced the release of 13 ISA detainees, including three Hindraf leaders, Uthayakumar, Manoharan and Vasantha Kumar.
The others released were Zulkepli Marzuki, Jeknal Adil and Admi Pindatun; two Indonesian nationals Zainun Rasyid and Aboud Ghafar Shahril, and five Filipinos Sufian Salih, Hasim Talib, Abdul Jamal Azahari, Yusof Mohd Salam and Husin Alih.
Vasantha Kumar’s mother R Manomani, 62 and his sister K Parameswari were among those waiting outside the gates of the camp since early morning.
Two Hindraf leaders V Ganabatirau and R Kengadharan were among another 13 detainees released in the first batch announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when delivering his maiden speech as Prime Minister on the night of 3 April. — Bernama
Steven Ong says
What are the reasons? Is it that this will make BN look good? Or have our government’s mind and hearts changed for the better? Certainly it looks good. May it be so now and forever.