Press Statement by Karpal Singh in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 3^rd May 2009:

Manoharan’s immediate release should be given top priority

DAP Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman, M. Manoharan, cannot be faulted for the anxiety he is undergoing over his inability to serve his constituents or attend sittings of the Selangor Legislative Assembly. He has exhausted practically every avenue open to him to regain his freedom from detention under the Internal Security Act. Two of the five Hindraf leaders were released upon Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak taking office as Prime Minister. It is difficult to understand why the other three leaders are still languishing in detention.

Manoharan should be given every opportunity to serve to his constituents and represent them in the state assembly. The voters in Kota Alam Shah handed Manoharan a resounding victory in the March 8 election last year. The government cannot, and should not, ignore the mandate given to Manoharan by his constituents.

Manoharan’s family is undergoing severe financial difficulties. His clients have been left in the lurch. His wife, S. Pnshpaneela, is making valiant efforts to keep his law firm and his constituency office going. This factor should also be given adequate attention by the newly appointed Minister of Law, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein Onn, who being a lawyer himself, should well understand the predicament faced by Manoharan. Hishamuddin should take the lead in convincing the government that Manoharan, together with all other ISA detainees, should be unconditionally released. The time has come for the Internal Security Act to be pensioned off. This bold step should be taken by Najib Tun Razak to gain the confidence and respect of not only the rakyat, but also the international community.

I will meeting up with Manoharan when I attend the review of his detention and that of P. Uthayakumar and K. Vasantha Kumar on 19th May, 2009. The Advisory Board should at this sitting seriously consider unconditionally releasing these three personalities. They have been incarcerated since 13^th December, 2007. I cannot see any reason for their continued detention.

I will try to dissuade Manoharan from stepping down as assembly man for Kota Alam Shah. He deserves the victory handed to him by the people in that constituency. As conceded by the Prime Minister himself that by-elections are a waste of public funds, Manoharan’s immediate release should be given top priority.

* Karpal Singh, DAP National Chairman & MP for Bukit Gelugor