Charges against 31 ethnic Indians dropped in Malaysia

Singapore, Dec 17 (UNI) The Malaysian Attorney-General (AG) has dropped the attempted murder charges against 31 ethnic Indians, accused of injuring a policeman during a protest march held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur on November 25.

AG Abdul Gani Patail also dropped all three charges against four students who were part of the so-called 'Hindraf 31' or the 31 people accussed of the attempted murder, following the protest march organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

The charges were dropped after Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he has called on the AG to accept the appeal of the 31 accused.

However, charges of mischief and illegal assembly remain against 26 of the protesters, all of whom pleaded guilty at the Klang Sessions Court this morning.

The 31 were slapped with the attempted murder charges after they allegedly injured a policeman at the rally by throwing stones and pipes at the police.

The protest march, though seen by the Malaysian government as illegal, was to highlight the plight of minority ethnic Indians who alleged to be have been left out of the Malaysian economic development.

UNI