In a three line judgment after a four week adjournment, Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Azman on Feb 18 dismissed his appeal and uphold the Sessions Court decision of two and half years jail for sedition, said P Uthayakumar.

It was for writing the Hindraf letter in 2007 to former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in which he alleged the Malaysian government’s policies victimised in particular the Indian poor.

Hindraf founder Uthaya said in a statement his appeal was dismissed, despite the rejection of his subpoenas for 62 top Umno ministers, the inspector general of police and the attorney general.

 

“Also rejected as exhibit evidence were almost all the 2,240 pages of letters, memorandums etc in seven volumes of the appeal records to the High Court. 

“Two days for me to complete my defence and to finish 20 of my witnesses,” he said.

 

Immediately after the court decision, he said the judge made an order allowing his family and lawyers to meet him for one hour at the basement lock up. Uthaya said he was told the court police had refused this order and he was taken back to jail immediately.

This was roughly done, he alleged. “The back of my trousers and shirt tore near the vehicle when they dropped me, twisted my body and dumped me inside the vehicle, causing further injuries to my already fragile prolapsed discs in my back. My right hand was also injured."

Uthaya added another judge’s order not complied with was that he be detained at the prison hospital or security wing as done for Malay and Chinese political leaders like Anwar Ibrahim ( right ), Lim Guan Eng, Mat Sabu, Salahuddin Ayub, Ezam Mohamad Noor, and Mathias Chang.

 

He said had been locked up at the death row chambers quarantine block with other dangerous and violent prisoners in a 10x10 ft cell with no partition/bathroom privacy bath/toilet bowl area, forced to bath naked and do his ‘long call’ in full view of others.

 

“Yet again I’m forced to drink for breakfast the mix porridge in the infamous “gayong” (dipper) which we wash our backsides and soak our underpants in. My request for a diabetic diet has been denied for eight and half months now. My weekly phone call to my family is also denied."

 

But he added he had no regrets and the Hindraf 18 point demands struggle to end all policies victimising especially the Indian poor, continues.

 

Uthaya quoted Martin Luther King’ statement ‘But anyone who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly accepting imprisonment to rouse the conscience of the community over its injustices and act in reality, expressing the very highest respect for the law’. 

 

“This keeps me going in jail” he said.