Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) leader P Uthayakumar is being treated for acute diabetes at a government hospital, Malaysia's Human Resources Minister S Subramaniam has said following protests over alleged improper medical treatment to the detained leader.
There was an angry demonstration outside a police station by ethnic Indians, including lawmakers, who alleged improper medical treatment for Uthayakumar's diabetic complications.
Uthayakumar has been in detention for the past 14 months under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA) along with four other Hindraf leaders - M Manoharan, Ganabati Rau, Vasanth Kumar and S Kengadharan.
"It is the right of each and every Malaysian to be treated at the government hospital and in Uthayakumar's case, I was informed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar that he has been receiving treatment at the Teluk Intan Hospital," the minister said Sunday at an Indian community function.
Subramaniam said he hoped that the government would make arrangements should Uthayakumar need specialist treatment for his diabetes-afflicted foot.
"I just want the public to be aware that the government is giving medical treatment to Uthayakumar. If the need arises, I hope that the government will grant him permission to seek treatment at a specialist centre," New Straits Times quoted him as saying.
{{/usCountry}}"I just want the public to be aware that the government is giving medical treatment to Uthayakumar. If the need arises, I hope that the government will grant him permission to seek treatment at a specialist centre," New Straits Times quoted him as saying.
{{/usCountry}}Hindraf claims to speak for Malaysia's two million ethnic Indian population, a bulk of whom are Tamil Hindus who came in Malacca during the British era.
It courted controversy when the "Hindraf 5" organised a protest rally in November 2007 to highlight perceived grievances in jobs and education and alleged demolition of a large number of Hindu religious shrines.