ETALING JAYA: The Sessions Court today ordered for an arrest warrant to be issued against Human Rights Party leader P Uthayakumar for being absent from court.
The judge, Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain, ordered for the warrant despite Uthayakumar’s aide, S Thiagarajan producing a valid medical certificate to the court for his ailment.
When contacted, Uthayakumar said that he had obtained a medical leave certificate from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM) on April 2 for suffering from prolapsed disk and small tumour on his backbone.
“The consultant neurosurgeon, Dr P Shanmugaraja gave me a leave of absence from April 2 to May 17 for my medical condition and Thiagarajan produced the document to the court today.
“However, the deputy public prosecutor argued that I was busy campaigning for the general election and the judge immediately issued a warrant of arrest,” said Uthayakumar.
The HRP pro-tem secretary general is being tried under the Sedition Act for a letter issued to former British prime minister Gordon Brown, alleging there is ethnic cleansing in Malaysia.
Uthayakumar dismissed the notion that he was using the medical leave for campaigning, saying that much of his election work was done at his office.
“We never had any ceramahs outside my office. Even yesterday, I only had a ceramah in a house in Klang attended by about 30 people. After that, I attended a temple function.
“I normally go back home immediately after my work to rest. I’m now taking painkillers to subdue the pain,” he said.
Political agenda
The lawyer-politician alleged that there is a political agenda behind the arrest warrant, claiming it had something to in regards to his criticism against Barisan Nasional and his brother, P Waythamoorthy.
“It is an attempt to derail my chances in winning the general election,” he said.
Uthayakumar is contesting as an independent candidate for the Seri Andalas state and Kota Raja parliament seats.
On July 27, Ahmad Zamzani ordered for an arrest warrant against Uthayakumar for being late by more than one hour to attend the trial.
Despite arguing that he was held up on another case at the High Court, the sessions court judge said that Uthayakumar had forfeited RM7,000 out of his RM10,000 bail.
