(The Malaysian Insider) KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Former ISA detainee & Hindraf leader K. Vasanthakumar was held by police today after trying to hand over a memorandum for more JPA scholarships for Indian students to Datuk Seri Najib Razak.The prime minister was visiting the Sri Murugan Centre at the Sekolah Vivekenanda in Brickfields when the incident happened.
It is understood that Vasanthakumar was sent to the nearby Brickfields district police headquarters for questioning.
Vasanthakumar was in a group of 10 men that included Port Dickson assemblyman M. Ravi, who claimed to represent the people in Negri Sembilan, when they approached Najib and hand him the memorandum.
The memorandum was signed by Vasanthakumar, who was among five people detained in December 2007 under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for leading 30,000 Indians to march in central Kuala Lumpur for their rights which they said was denied since Merdeka.
Hindraf was outlawed but Najib later freed the Hindraf leaders when he took office in April 2009.
The prime minister was launching the Sri Murugan Centre and handed over scholarships to 50 recipients.
Hindraf, which accused Vasanthakumar of being a turncoat, has demanded for more JPA or Public Service Department scholarships, matriculation and university seats for Indian students who have done well in public examinations.
Hindraf and the Human Rights Party Malaysia pro-tem committee have also asked for a Royal Commission of Inquiry over the matter, saying they will send a petition to Parliament next Tuesday.
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