Doc goes on hunger strike

Dr Michael D Jeyakumar's wife reveals that the PSM leader will go on a hunger strike until all the six are charged or freed.

KUALA LUMPUR: Detained PSM leader Dr Michael D Jeyakumar has started a hunger strike since this morning until all the six party activists held under the Emergency Ordinance are released or charged, said his wife today.

R Mohana Rani, who had tried to change her husband’s mind, said the police have not budged from their original stand despite the PSM six cooperating during interrogation.

“He (Jeyakumar) believes that the police and government have their own agenda and aims.

“He has given his full cooperation since being remanded,” she told FMT, adding that her husband signed three reports, including a 45-page report in Penang where he was first arrested.

Now, the authorities had prepared an 80-page report, but Jeyakumar decided not to sign it as he considered the investigation futile.

Apart from the Sungai Siput MP, the others under detention are PSM deputy president M Sarasvathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M Sukumaran, Youth chief R Saratbabu and Sungai Siput branch secretary A Letchumanan.

They were arrested in Kepala Batas on June 26 while distributing leaflets calling on the public to support Bersih 2.0′s demands for free and fair elections. The authorities later accused them of waging war against the King.

They were then re-arrested on July 2 under the EO which allows the police to detain suspects for up to 60 days.

Meanwhile, PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan could not confirm if Jeyakumar had started his hunger strike.

“I’m trying to contact a representative from Bukit Aman but so far I have not been able to.

“I am now planning to go there and find out more information, and arrange for the lawyers to go in as well,” he said when contacted.

He revealed that Jeyakumar, during a family visit yesterday, said the police were “not listening” and were trying to frame them based on unsubstantiated allegations.

“He has cooperated with them and now thinks that they are just trying to find new ways of detaining the six,” he said.