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Request for royal pardons for Merdeka, Malaysia Day

YAB Dato Sri Najib b Tun Razak,

Prime Minister, Malaysia,

Blok Utama, Bangunan Perdana Putra,

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan

62502 Putrajaya, Malaysia.

YAB,

Royal pardons for prisoners/withdraw sedition charges @ Merdeka & Malaysia Day (Sept 16, 2015)

I was moved to write this letter to your goodself on reading the news report ‘Vietnam to free 18,200... to mark its Independence day celebrations... ( The Star , Aug 29). Amongst others in Thailand for the year ‘2007: King’s 80th Birthday - 31,149 released and 101,607 reduced sentence.

As a former prisoner jailed at Kajang Prison for two (2) years on undue Sedition charges and also having undergone the pain, suffering, undue indignities, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment may i on behalf of serving prisoners in Malaysian jails humbly appeal to your goodself to make recommendations and advise His Majesty the DYMM Yang di-Pertuan Agong for Royal Pardons to be granted on the occasion of Merdeka and Malaysia Day (Aug 16, 2015) as follows:

1. That all death row and natural life prisoners be granted pardons and their sentences commuted to a maximum of twenty (20) years’ jail sentence and that the death penalty be abolished. (My saddest day at Kajang Prison was when one Mohamad was hanged in the wee hours of Friday March 14, 2015 immediately after the Suboh prayers.)

2. That all prisoners excluding violent and sexual charge prisoners serving one year and lesser jail sentences be granted pardons and forthwith released.

3. That all first-time offenders, juveniles and women prisoners serving more than one year be granted pardons and be made to serve only half of their prison sentences and is also made subject to parole.

4. That all other prisoners excluding violent and sexual charge prisoners be granted pardons and made to serve only 55 percent of their prison sentences and is also made subject to parole.

5. That all violent and sexual charge prisoners be granted pardons and be made to serve only 60 percent of their prison sentences and is also made subject to parole. Currently they are not eligible for parole.

To err is human and to forgive is divine. Prisoners deserve a second chance to make amends for their past mistakes. The state’s compassion and guidance can therefore yield results.

On this auspicious occasion we also urge your goodselves to sanction the withdrawal of all edition charges on politicians, activists, lawyers, academics, etc. We also urge that the Sedition Act be repealed and to be replaced with an Anti-Racial Discrimination Act with the view to put an end to and criminalising all forms of racial discrimination in both the government and private sectors that victimises mostly the Indian poor, which I had focused on, went to jail for and for which I have no regrets.

We humbly seek your kind indulgence.


P UTHAYAKUMAR is de facto leader, Hindraf.

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