Malaysian court accuses HINDRAF leader's counsel of delaying hearing

Kuala Lumpur, Aug.1 : A Malaysian High Court judge has accused the counsel of HINDRAF leader P. Uthayakumar of delaying his habeas corpus hearing.

According to the New Strait Times, Judge Suraya Othman told counsel S.Y. Chew that she was the one delaying the matter by giving excuses.

Chew had informed Judge Othman that she could not proceed with the hearing as there were contradictions found between the search lists prepared by the police and the detention centre authorities.

She asked for the court to allow Uthayakumar to file another affidavit.

"We want Uthayakumar to say that the medicine he had with him appeared in the police search list, but it was missing in the detention centre's list. He had the medicine when he was moved there. We are dealing with a man's life," the paper quoted Chew, as saying.

"The court is ready to hear it and so is the senior federal counsel, but you are giving all sorts of excuses. If you want this man to be either set free or admitted to a hospital, you should proceed now. If this was a civil court and you didn't follow the case management directions, I would have thrown this case out. It is a waste of time to file more affidavits," Judge Othman retorted.

There are now 78 affidavits, including four by Uthayakumar, filed up to Tuesday.

Chew then submitted that Uthayakumar had been using his medication until February, but was later denied it by doctors at Taiping Hospital. Judge Suraya allowed Chew's application to file the affidavit by August 6 and ordered written submissions to be given by August 11.

She also set August 14 for hearing.

Uthayakumar is seeking his release on grounds that he has been denied medical care for diabetes and heart problems. He is currently being detained at the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping.

ANI