By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : An advisory board headed by a judge will next week hear appeals from three leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and two others detained for two years under Malaysia’s stringent Internal Security Act (ISA).
The three leaders P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabathirau and T. Vasanthakumar as well as Hindraf lawyers R. Kenghadharan and M. Manoharan will be represented by their lawyers before the ISA advisory board on Monday.
Sentenced for two years, the five leaders are being held at the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping under ISA since Dec 13, 2007 on the charge that they are threatening national security, The New Straits Times said Friday.
Hindraf claims to speak for two million-plus ethnic Indians, predominantly Tamil Hindus. It courted controversy after it staged a protest rally on Nov 25 last year alleging the community was being marginalized.
The rally was dispersed and 31 of its participants are being prosecuted.
Lead lawyer, lawmaker Karpal Singh, said Thursday: “The board will hear their representation and defence and give its recommendations to the king.” He said the board could give its recommendations to the king to have the Hindraf members released.
Ethnic Indians form roughly eight percent of Malaysia’s 27 million population.