Uthayakumar: I have never refused medication

Gabrielle Chong Mar 6, 09 5:38pm

Hindraf leader and ISA detainee P Uthayakumar has made a hand-written report at the Kamunting police station refuting a press report that he did not take his medicines while in detention.

In the report, he dismissed the news report in the New Straits Times titled "Refused Treatment, Medicine 18 Times" published on March 3 as based on 'a false police report or false media statement'."I wish to state here that from the day I was arrested and detained here on December 13, 2007 up to the day of this police report, I have been taking my diabetic tablets and other medication except when the same was denied to me by the Kemta Prison authorities in early 2008.

“To prove this, I invite the police to come to my prison block in Kemta Prison @ Malaysia's Guantanamo Bay to check for themselves, verify and confirm the hundreds of empty diabetic and other medicine shells."

He also dared the police to check and verify the prison diary for his requests for medicine every week.According to Uthayakumar, he has been requesting for private medical treatment at Gleneagles Hospital because he had lost confidence in government hospitals.

Citing A Kugan's suspicious post-mortem as an example, he remarked that he was fearful of the Special Branch interfering with government hospital doctors and medical reports to cover up the true and accurate state of his health. "The numerous affidavits by these doctors in my High Court case and my two previous police reports dated Feb 2 and Feb 6 made through my family and myself are evidence."He also said that despite his complaints about the uneven road surface and potholes which have caused his injuries, nothing had been done to repair the conditions in his prison block or shift him to a better location.

'They're trying to kill me'

In addition, he alleged that he was served sugar added bread everyday, and urged the police to confiscate them before evidence is wiped out, saying, "I can't help but think that the home minister and government of Malaysia are trying to kill me in prison for political reasons."I also want my new found silent heart condition (hypnokinetic) to be checked. I also need to consult a specialist cardiologist on whether I need to start taking aspirin and high blood pressure medication arising out of these depressive prison conditions."Should anything happen to me in prison, the home minister and the government of Malaysia are responsible."

In another letter, directed to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar from Uthayakumar's lawyers Edwin Lim and N Surendran, the lawyers alleged that he had received different reports from two doctors for the same condition.The letter was written to appeal for Uthayakumar's release so that he could seek independent medical treatment.

According to the letter, the lawyers stated that Uthayakumar was finally allowed to seek treatment at Taiping General Hospital where he took an X-Ray on his left toe after 18 days of police reports, public protests and numerous requests made to the Kemta Prison authorities..

The X-Ray results showed that he had three toe fractures, compared to an earlier report prepared at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital which showed only one toe fracture.Unfortunately, the doctor at Taiping General Hospital could not verify if his toe had healed in 18 days as he did not have the original X-Ray taken at Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

links that report otherwise (the Umno controlled newspapers);

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/27/focus/3355695&sec=focus

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/6/nation/3420319&sec=nation

Comments in Mkini on Kugan's death: Probe police 'cover up'

On Kugan's death: Probe police 'cover-up'

Paul Warren: Since reading the news on the second autopsy report that has been released now which so contradicts the first, Kugan's family should do all it can to sue both the pathologist of the first report as well as Selangor CPO Khalid for causing them so much agony and distress.I cannot expect these two officers of the government to be criminally charged for a cover-up as I have long given up on the government's ability and capacity for doing the right thing.Unless the pathologist was blind and with no sense of touch, he could not surely have missed all those bruises and burn marks and cuts. The pathologist, being a trained doctor, knew full well the implication of his post-mortem report on the family members of the deceased. I would also like to know from the Malaysian Medical Association as well as council as to what they want to do with this pathologist.

It is pathetic to think that Malaysian doctors on their list are capable of alleged gross lies and fabrications.How on earth are we going to be able to rely on Malaysian doctors for their diagnoses and treatment especially now when there is a lot of profit to be made in the medical sector?It is imperative that this pathologist be immediately investigated by the MMA and the results of their findings published. What was his motive? It is important for us to know how his autopsy report was devoid of some of the basic findings which any layman could deduce just looking at the pictures.We must also, more importantly, if this pathologist expects any sympathy at all, be told what the motivation was is that made all of his learning to be a doctor come to naught.

Kimren: The home minister has accused the opposition of taking advantage of Kugan's death but he has made no mention of what is happening to the progress of any internal inquiry by the police into the many cases deaths in police custody.There's no record of condolence from the home minister or the IGP to the family members affected.I think we have enough evidence of wrongdoing by Malaysian police for wrongful detention, starvation, torture, bribery etc.It is not only Indians who are aghast at Kugan's death but also all Malaysians.

Prema Durairaj: The second post-mortem clearly proves the highhandedness of the Malaysian police and the home minister.The lies, fabrication of evidence and threatening to charge Kugan's family and those who had converged at the mortuary all denote that the Selangor police chief and the home minister were blind to the facts.The police chief and the home minister should take responsibility for the murder of Kugan. They should tender their resignations and seek an apology from the rakyat for their lies and misdeeds.

Jr Lee: Malaysians are appalled to be finally told the truth that Kugan was murdered by our local police force while under their custody.The second post-mortem report states that Kugan died from being repeatedly beaten. Is this how our police force interrogates their suspects? This is not interrogation but torture akin to the Gestapo.Words can hardly describe the shocking truth of police brutality and how inhumane our police force can be with such brutal acts committed in a location where there can be no witnesses.We wonder is this the tip of the iceberg as there are many more so-called ‘sudden deaths' while in police custody.As a parent, my heart goes to Kugan's mother and his relatives who have suffered terribly in losing a loved one and now being that their loved one died at the hands of those who are supposed to protect us from such brutality.Like any mother, Kugan's mother can only cry out, ‘Justice for my son'.
We are now living under great stress and fear, fearing the dreadful day if our loved ones are called to the police station let alone be detained.The fear that there is no one to hear their cries when beaten, their pleadings of mercy falling on deaf ears, their bodies going through such excruciating pain that they had never experienced before and the uncertainty that they will ever be seen again.

Churchill: I read that the AG will decide by the end of March if the 11 policemen will be charged for the murder of Kugan. Why wait until the end of the month?
This is pure hypocrisy and double standard. Doesn't he know the severity of the alleged crime committed by this 11 policemen and the mental anguish that Kugan's family has been subjected to?
He should act immediately and charge these 11 including the first pathologist without any further delay.
Unless he needs these additional few weeks to do some bargaining with the IGP or home minister.

The way things are being played out by the AG's chambers, MACC, PDRM, the judiciary and the icing being our soon-to-be PM coming with an uncleared name, I have totally lost faith in the present BN government.

This is the saddest period in Malaysian history.

One lakh Malaysian Indian youth linked to crime

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One lakh Malaysian Indian youth linked to crime

Malaysia Sun

Thursday 5th March, 2009

(ANI)

Kuala Lumpur, Mar 5 : The Malaysian Government has information that over 100,000 Indian youth are involved in crime, including theft, robbery, distributing drugs, gangsterism and murder.Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam disclosed this recently, and said lack of jobs, guidance and the influence of friends were major contributors to the social problems.

Dr Subramaniam, who is also Malaysian Indian Congress secretary-general, was speaking to reporters after launching a building fund donation drive for the Malacca Indians Education, Economic, Welfare and Cultural Development Association (Minda).

He added that the Indian community and religious leaders should pay serious attention to organising more youth development programmes, The Star reported.Dr Subramaniam also said that plantation owners must provide housing quarters for their workers.He said he had instructed his staff to hold talks and find an amicable solution with the owners who had not provided the necessary housing.He said the ministry would also talk to Syarikat Perumahan Nasional Berhad after the plantation owners have given their approval for the building of housing quarters.