Hindu activists in M’sia seek day in court for freedom bid

KUALA LUMPUR – FIVE Hindu rights activists held under a tough Malaysian security law demanded that they be allowed to be present in court during their application for freedom, their counsel said on Wednesday.

Gobind Singh Deo said it was important for the five to attend court to ensure the lawyers can get immediate instructions and to avoid delays in their bid for freedom as they argue that their detention is unlawful.

'Our argument is that at the end of the day we have filed an application for habeas corpus, which means the court must act quickly,' he told reporters.

The five leaders of rights group Hindraf were detained after they enraged the government last month by leading a mass rally protesting at alleged discrimination against minority ethnic Indians in Malaysia.

They are being held under the Internal Security Act which allows for indefinite detention without trial.

Mr Gobind said the five detainees were in good health.

'They are in high spirits. There are no complaints of ill treatment or abuse,' he told reporters.

They have been held since mid-December at Kamunting detention centre in northern Perak state, some 300 kmfrom Kuala Lumpur.

Police last month used tear gas, water cannon and baton charges to break up the Hindraf street protest which drew 8,000 people, and came just two weeks after another rare demonstration organised by electoral reform campaigners.

The judge ordered government lawyers to seek the attorney-general's 'good office' to produce the detainees in court, adding that the hearing would resume Jan 24. — AFP