The Selangor government has embarked on a signature drive for the release of incarcerated Kota Alam Shah state assemblyperson M Manoharan, who is contemplating on resigning from his post.

The campaign, however, was not just launched for Manoharan but also the 27 others detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

pc by selangor exco on m manoharan 050509 03 At a press conference in Shah Alam today, senior executive councillor and Seputeh DAP MP Teresa Kok said that the signature campaign is not only to pressure the government to free Manoharan but also to show him that the voters still backed him.

The drive came comes in the wake of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader expressing his wish, through his wife S Pushpaneela, to resign from his post as he felt "guilty of not being able to serve his constituents."

Besides Kok, the campaign will also be headed by Seri Setia assemblyperson Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PKR), Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad (PAS) and Abolish ISA movement president Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh.

The campaign which begins today will continue until May 17, a day before the ISA detention review board meets.

"We will gather the signatures on the petition which will then be submitted to the prime minister, the home minister and the review board through Manoharan's lawyer Karpal Singh," said Kok.

The public can also access the petition through this web portal and state their support or objection to the cause.

The state representatives also hope to get signatures from people through small scale activities in townships in Kota Alam Shah.

"We might even put up billboards, if there is space available as the Selangor government is against ISA," said Kok.

'He wanted to be released'

In a statement which was delivered through his wife who visited him at the Kamunting detention camp on Saturday, Manoharan said he felt as if he was committing a sin as he is unable to personally serve his constituents.

m manoharan Manoharan was detained under the ISA on Dec 13, 2007 along with four other top Hindraf leaders P Uthayakumar, V Ganabatirau, R Kenghadharan and T Vasantha Kumar.

Lawyers Ganabatirau and Kenghadharan however, were released on April 3, marking Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s first act of goodwill, after taking office on April 2.

Manoharan had contested under the DAP ticket for the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor while in custody and defeated BN-Gerakan's Ching Su Chen by 7,184 votes during the last general election.

Following his victory, his wife and several volunteers have been operating his service centre with the state's help.

However, Manoharan will make the decision official after discussing with DAP chairperson Karpal Signh on May 19 at the detention centre.

pc by selangor exco on m manoharan 050509 s pushpaneela Although, he has yet to make it certain, Pushpaneela said her husband who was hoping to be released like the other two has been suffering from 'sleepless nights' since.

"He kept saying why weren't all released when we all came in with the same mission... and (these thoughts) were growing in him during the two weeks I did not visit him," she said today.

"He felt guilty to the 12,699 voters who voted for him without seeing him in person... although I am working as his representative, I cannot attend the assembly," she said.

"We call upon the premier to take immediate action as it was he who said that too much time, energy and money are being spent on by-elections unnecessarily," she added.

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