Arrest warrant against Hindu group leader in Malaysia

Singapore, April 29 (IANS) Ahead of the general elections in the country May 5, a Malaysian court Monday issued an arrest warrant against a Hindu rights group leader in a sedition case.

A sessions court has issued the warrant of arrest against P. Uthayakumar, a leader of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), for not appearing in court in a 2007 sedition case, local media reported.

However, Uthayakumar contended that he had a medical certificate exempting him from appearing in court from April 2 to May 17.

"I have a medical certificate from Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) issued by a consultant neurosurgeon, for a prolapsed disc and a small tumour on my backbone," the Malaysian Star newspaper quoted Uthayakumar as saying.

Uthayakumar, 49, is contesting the Kota Raja parliamentary seat and the Sri Andalas state seat in the upcoming general elections in the country.

According to him, the deputy public prosecutor applied for the arrest warrant stating that the accused had attended nomination day and was campaigning for the elections.

According to the report, Uthayakumar is now awaiting arrest at his campaigning centre at Taman Sentosa in the Malaysian state of Selangor.

"My supporters will be carrying on with the campaigning and I will be contesting even if I am under detention," he told the newspaper.

The case relates to a 2007 incident in which Uthayakumar was charged with publishing an allegedly seditious letter on the 'Police Watch Malaysia' website, dated Nov 15, 2007, addressed to then British prime minister Gordon Brown.

--Indo-Asian news Service

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