They were met by their families and taken away in police patrol cars, following their families’ cars in front.
Both Ganabatirau and Kenghadharan would be taken straight to their homes in Shah Alam and Kelana Jaya respectively.
The duo were among five Hindraf leaders held in detention for 15 months after organising a mammoth rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25, 2007, accusing the government of marginalising the Indian community in the country.
They were detained under the Internal Security Act - which provides for detention without trial - in late December the same year.
"This is the moment that the whole family is waiting for but I hope the new prime minister will hear the Indian community's plea to release the three others Hindraf leaders as well," Ganabatirau's brother, V Papparaidu, told AFP.
A Kannappan, a 56-year-old businessman who managed to shake hands with the Hindraf duo outside the detention centre as they left, said they "look healthy and were smiling".
At about 1.25pm, another eight detainees were released including one from Jemaah Islamiah and six from Darul Islam Sabah.
Earlier, at about 10.45am, three foreigners were also released and were taken away in an Immigration Department vehicle.
Former PM lauds move
Yesterday, a Bernama report quoted Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan as saying that the detainees will leave the detention centre today after all the documentation process are completed.
On Friday, Najib Abdul Razak in his first address to the nation as prime minister announced that the 13 ISA detainess will be released.
He also pledged to conduct a comprehensive review of the draconian legislation.
The other three Hindraf leaders who remain in detention are P Uthayakumar, M Manoharan and T Vasanthakumar.
In welcoming the release of the Hindraf duo, MIC had also urged the government to release the other three.
Meanwhile, former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi lauded his successor’s move to release the 13.
"It is good decision. A good move. I am sure the time has come for them to be released, so he released them," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Rights group have welcomed the move, but urged the government to free the remaining 27 people, mainly suspected Islamic militants, held under the ISA or charge them in court.
"There are people who have been held more than seven years without trial and most of them were facing the same kind of allegations as those who were released today," said Abolish ISA Movement spokesman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh.
Vasanthakumar to support BN?
In a shocking move that could hamper Pakatan campaign in the run-up to the by-elections next Tuesday, some Hindraf supporters have shown support to the new Najib administration following the ISA release.
An indication for support of Najib was detected when a cousin of one of the Hindraf leaders - T Vasanthakumar who is still in detention, revealed that the detainee would support BN and campaign for the party if he is released soon.
“I have spoken to him (Vasanthakumar) and he said he wanted to support BN if he gets to be released soon. We will also support the party...this is our demand. If he is released, we all will support BN,” said A Latha to reporters.
It is however uncertain whether the unexpected support thrown to BN and the Najib administration was caused after PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim did not choose Kedah-born Vasanthakumar as their candidate in the Bukit Selambau by-election.
Later in the day, the crowd began to swell to about 100 people, causing a minor traffic congestion and two trucks from the police light strike force were deployed at the scene to control the situation.
Some supporters began chanting in Tamil in support of Najib as they lauded the “bold” move.
C Ganasa from Selama, who had been keeping a long beard since the arrests of the Hindraf five on Dec 13, 2007 decided to shave it off in front of the camp to show his gratefulness to Najib.
“I’ve been keeping this beard since they (Hindraf leaders) were detained on two years ago. Now, since two are being released, I am shaving it off.
Hindraf will 'always reject BN'
But for V Papparaidu, the brother of V Ganabatirau, the release has not changed the Hindraf’s principles to “always reject BN”.
“What they have done to the Hindraf leaders for the past one and a half years could not be replaced with anything. We will continue rejecting BN,” he said.
In a obvious jovial mood, the wives of both former detainees, along with their relatives and friends, had been patiently and anxiously awaiting their husbands back into their lives.
For 41-year-old Kengadharan’s wife Dr M Kalaivani, she said she looked forward the most to bringing his husband to a temple and pray.
“I am very happy that my husband is coming home today. I was thinking of bringing him to the temple on the way home, but since we will be escorted by the police, we will only do it after we get home,” said the mother of two.
She further added that the her husband was very upset that the other three Hindraf detainees had yet to be released.
Ganabatirau’s wife, 33-year-old B. Buwaneswary, said her husband would not change his principles over what had befallen upon him when he was detained in late 2007.
“My husband does not tend to waver his principles. He has not weakened in what he believes in as he is an honest man. I will support him in anything he wants to do,” she said.
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