4 theSun | MONDAY APRIL 6 2009

news without borders

Three other Hindraf

leaders ask
to be released
» From Front Page
The others freed were three foreigners, seven members of Darul
Islam and one from Jemaah Islamiah.
Indian national Sundaraj Vijay and Myanmars San Khaing and Amir
Hussain, who had been under detention since 2007, were the first to
be brought out, Bernama reports.
Darul Islam members Binsali Omar, A. Artas A. Burhanudin, Idris
Lanama, Francis Indanan, Mohd Nazri Dollah, Pakana Selama and
Mohd Arasad Patangari had been detained since 2006, under an
order which was to expire in 2010. Wan Amin was detained in 2003.
Ganabatirau’s wife, B. Buvaneswary, 33, who was outside the
centre with her two children, said she was thankful for the Indian
community’s support throughout her husband’s detention.
A visibly excited Buvaneswary said: “The first thing I am going to
do is to hug and kiss him. I may also take him to the temple (to give
thanks for his safe return). He will be meeting his friends as many of
them are waiting for him at the house.”
Meanwhile, three other Hindraf leaders – P. Uthayakumar, M.
Manoharan, and T. Vasanthakumar – expressed their wish to be
released, conveyed through Vasanthakumar’s cousin A. Latha.
Latha, who had visited Vasanthakumar before Ganabatirau and
Kenghadaran were released, said Vasanthakumar had told her he Federal Reserve Unit personnel

was willing to support the Barisan Nasional if all Hindraf leaders keep watch outside the Kamunting
were released. Detention Camp in Taiping yesterday.
“Vasanthakumar is worried about his children. We urge the
release of the three remaining Hindraf leaders and we (the Indian
community) will render our support to BN,” she said.
Latha said a letter requesting a meeting with Najib was being
prepared to convey Vasanthakumar’s pledge to him.
His detention order was to expire in 2011.
Freed detainee thanks PM
by Charles Ramendran and
Former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi lauded his
Hemananthani Sivanandam
successor Najib’s move to release the 13 detainees. “It is a good
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
decision. A good move. I am sure the time has come for them to
be released, so he released them,” Abdullah said yesterday when PETALING JAYA: Hindraf leader and lawyer
approached at a tree-planting ceremony in Kuala Lumpur. R. Kenghadaran, who was released yesterday
after almost 16 months in detention under
the ISA, expressed gratitude to Prime Minis-
ter Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak.
“I am elated and thankful to the prime
minister. He shares the vision of his father,
who was an outstanding man. We have an
able statesman and we can expect to see
favourable changes in the country. I strongly
believe this is the new beginning of true
democracy,” he told theSun.
However, he urged Najib to release the
other three Hindraf leaders – P. Uthayaku-
mar, M. Manoharan and T. Vasantha – who
are still in detention.
“They are languishing in detention and I
urge the prime minister to release them as
well as the others who are being held at the
centre soon, if not immediately,” he said
Asked if he will continue the struggles
of Hindraf, Kenghadaran declined to com-
BERNAMAPIX
BERNAMAPIX
and wished each other. They were in high
spirits and happy.”
It is learnt that Kengadharan has to
report to the Petaling Jaya district police
headquarters every month.
In Shah Alam, Ganabatirau was given a big
reception at his house on Jalan Bukit Kemun-
ing. He was released at 1.20pm and taken by
police to Shah Alam Section 11 district police
headquarters for “some procedures” before
being taken to his house at 5.50pm.
He was welcomed by some 100 people,
including traditional Indian drum beaters,
and lifted by his supporters, amid the let-
ting off of firecrackers. A downpour did not
dampen his supporters’ enthusiasm.
A tired-looking Ganabatirau refused to
speak to reporters, covering his mouth with
his hands.
According to his brother Papparaidu,
one of the conditions of his release was
that he was not allowed to hold any press
conference for one year.
He was also not allowed to leave the
Shah Alam district for one year and has to
report to the district police headquarters

ment. once a week.

“We have to be ready and willing to work
with the system. Any cause an individual is
fighting for should be along with the system
and not against it,” he said. “With the new
administration and vision, I am sure this is pos-
Ganabatirau hugs
sible. We should look at all this positively.”
Kengadharan said he was driven to the
wife Buwaneswary
Petaling Jaya district police headquarters by
SHARIL AMIN/THESUN
Sri Muda assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafiei,
who was present, said he was thankful to
the government for releasing Ganabatirau
and Kenghadaran and called for the release
of the other three Hindraf leaders.
“I hope the government will release all
ISA detainees and abolish ISA,” he said.
Ganabatirau’s wife, B. Buvenaswary,

and daughter
police after his release at about 1pm, and 33, said she was glad to have her husband
Gowri, two, outside
was taken to his apartment in Kelana Jaya home after almost 16 months.
his house on Jalan
(From left) Artas, Pakana and Mohd after some “paper work”. She said her husband needed medical
Bukit Kemunting,
Nazri of Darul Islam wave as they Asked if he met Uthayakumar, Mano- attention for a neck problem and they were
Saha Alam.
are brought out of the camp. haran and Vasantha before he left the waiting for a medical report from Ipoh
detention centre, he said: “Yes, we hugged General Hospital.