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Dear Prime Minister

For the third time in the past 11 months, with effect from April 16, 2014, I was punished without even a hearing yet again for ‘Ingkar Perintah’ (failing to follow Wardens Orders). I was jailed in the ‘dark room’-designed punishment cell for 16 days in blatant contravention of Regulations 119 and read together with Section 121 of the Prisons Act 1995 which in effect allows for only one day of separation.  

I was denied even basic toiletries and forced to sleep on the cement floor with just one shirt and long pants. Even my towel, short pants, copy of the Prisons Act, and reading and writing books and pencils were confiscated and never returned to me.

On the 16th day, I was moved out to and am now imprisoned with a group of about 10 transvestites as well as violent and dangerous criminals, again in violation of the KL High Court Order dated Dec 12, 2013 which directed that I be detained with political prisoners.

My present Cell No 29 is a dirty, hot and stuffy harsh concrete and iron (dungeon) with two fully-covered-up iron doors. I am held here in solitary confinement 24 hours a day. Even the rear fully-covered-up iron door that allows some sunlight and fresh air is slammed shut from 5.30pm onwards to about 10.00am the next morning.  

I am thereafter forced to pour some water over my body for a ‘bath’ on about 20 to 30 occasions before I go to bed, to keep cool. I cannot even have a proper bath as the running tap water is cut off from about 6.00am to midnight and I have to make do with only one big pail of water for the day.  

I dread thinking of the conditions of up to 10 prisoners packed like sardines in these 10 feet by 10 feet cells in violation of Regulation 4 where only a maximum of three is allowed, also with stinking toilets within, all day long. Why all these torture, and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners?

Appeal

Please direct the return of my only towel, short pants, books, six written-up prison notebooks, and restore running tap water to at least during the daytime and lock me up only from 6.30pm to 7.30am as per the Lock-Up Rules. Also to immediately stop the arbitrary shouting at, beating up and punishing in the ‘dark room cell’ without a hearing of prisoners which is in blatant violation of Regulations 55, 56, 119 and 121 of the Prisons Act 1995.

Please also direct the halt of all the above the law mindset behind the prison walls on the part of prison warders and officers and all other abuse of powers.

Please direct the prison authorities to send me to Institut Janting Negara (IJN) for my chest pains and Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) for backbone pain. Both have been rejected by Kajang Prison despite my written request in the Request Book. Even my hot water request to make oats to control my diabetes and cholesterol as per my doctor’s advise has been rejected.

Please help me here.

Please also direct the opening of the back fully covered iron door round the clock to let in some fresh air and sunlight which has a secure iron bar gate anyway to at least lessen the harsh Umno government prison conditions for the remaining nine months of my two and a half years prison sentence for ‘sedition’.

I am not a common criminal, Mr Prime Minister, but happens to be currently Malaysia’s only jailed political prisoner! I seek your goodselves’ kind indulgence in this matter.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully

P Uthayakumar, Kajang Prison

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