'Waythamoorthy can return any time' - Malaysiakini

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairperson P Waythamoorthy is still a citizen and can come back to Malaysia any time, said Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar.

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However, there is a snag - the minister claimed that Waythamoorthy has returned his passport to the Malaysian High Commission in London and is travelling with British travel documents.

"Despite returning his passport, he is still the citizen although he claims otherwise,” said Syed Hamid.

Waythamoorthy, who has been living in self-exile in London since November 2007, is said to be suffering from a rare heart condition and wants to return to Malaysia to seek treatment.

A scheduled operation at a specialist centre in London on Monday had to be postponed as he was not well enough to undergo surgery.

Doctors are observing him for 48 hours before deciding whether or not to carry out the operation to place an implant in his heart.

The Hindraf leader had expressed his wish to return home so that he can be with his family, and he had sought the government's guarantee that he will not be arrested.

Hindraf's New York-based coordinator, R Shan, has also insisted that the government should issue Waythamoorthy with a new passport.

It is understood that the government had revoked Waythamoorthy's passport last year and he was issued a limited travel document by the British government. Syed Hamid has, however, refuted the claim.

No express guarantee

Shan reiterated the plea to guarantee that Waythamoorthy would be allowed a safe return to be with his family, including his six-year-old daughter.

Asked today at the Parliament lobby if action would be taken against Waythamorrthy if he returns, Syed Hamid declined to give a direct answer.

"Everyone is subject to the law... everyone has to face the consequence," was all he would say.

Waythamoorthy and his brother Uthayakumar were the lead organisers of a massive 30,000-strong rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25, 2007, to highlight the marginalisation of the Indian Malaysian community.

Uthayakumar and four other Hindraf leaders were then detained under the Internal Security Act from December 2007.

However, Waythamoorthy had left the country by then and has been bringing up the issue with political leaders and human rights bodies in Europe and India.

Hindraf itself has since been banned, but its supporters have kept up the pressure on the government to improve the community’s lot under the Makkal Sakthi (people power) movement.