HINDRAF

Friday February 8, 2008
Hindraf’s Uthaya not taking on Samy
By K.SUTHAKAR
PENANG: Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser P. Uthayakumar has declined to contest against MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu for the Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency.
Hindraf co-ordinator R.S. Thanenthiran said Uthayakumar preferred to remain apolitical so that he could serve the Indian community more effectively.
“I met Uthayakumar at the Taiping Hospital where he was receiving treatment last week and he told me he did not want to contest in the general election.
“But he will support other Hindraf leaders if they want to contest since they will be championing Indian rights,” Thanenthiran said yesterday.
There has been speculation that Uthayakumar and four other Hindraf leaders detained under the Internal Security Act may contest in the elections.
Last week, 200 estate workers staged a peaceful demonstration at a temple in Ayer Tawar, calling on one of the five Hindraf leaders to take on Samy Vellu in Sungai Siput.
The detainees’ legal counsel M. Kulasegaran, who is also DAP vice-chairman, said recently that he would meet them on Feb 12 to ascertain if they wanted to contest in the election.
He said the party would offer two of the detainees – M. Manoharan and V. Ganabatirau –who are DAP members, seats to contest in the election.