Samy : I did not lie about Mano's wife
Malaysiakini.com
Apr 1, 2008

MIC president S Samy Vellu today clarified that he did not lie about detained Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader M Manoharan's wife approaching him for help. MCPX

samy vellu and mic"I never said she met me. It was only R Kengadharan's wife who met me. Manoharan's wife rang me up twice to seek my help for the release of her husband," he said in a statement.

Manoharan and Kengadharan were among the five Hindraf leaders currently held without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

On Sunday, Samy Vellu said he will push for the release of the five, but this has since met with strong criticisms as the MIC president was highly critical of Hindraf in the past.

Yesterday, Manoharan's wife S Pushpaneela denied that she had met Samy Vellu. She also quizzed why Samy Vellu wanted to press for the five’s freedom at this point in time.

"Why now, when he could have done it earlier?" she asked.

'Intentions are genuine'

hindraf isa detainees 141207 updatedMeanwhile, Samy Vellu claimed his intentions are genuine in seeking the release of the five who were arrested shortly after organising a mammoth rally on Nov 25 in Kuala Lumpur which drew some 30,000 people.

"It's absurd to say that I am doing this to seek publicity and popularity. No matter what, I will pursue their release with the prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and home minister (Syed Hamid Albar).

"Whatever it is, I will do what I have said in order to seek their release," said the veteran politician.

Yesterday, Umno vice-president and Malacca chief minister Ali Rustam criticised Samy Vellu for using the Hindraf issue to seek publicity for his own political interest.

Whereas Syed Hamid yesterday ruled out the possibility of releasing the five.

Public apology

In a related development, DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh called on the MIC president to issue a public apology for claiming that Pushpaneela had sought the latter's help.

karpal singh"Samy Vellu should not mislead the public by saying that Pushpaneela had met up with him, when, in fact, she had not," he said in a statement today.

On the MIC president's call for the five to be released, Karpal said: "It is incongruous for Samy Vellu to request for their release when before their detention on Dec 13, he made a public statement that he would have no objections if the five were detained at the behest of Abdullah, who was then internal security minister."

kota alam shah state seat election 2008 results 010408 new"Samy Vellu should not resort to cheap tactics to regain the confidence and support of the Indians in the country. He should realise that when the curtain falls, rejected and discarded politicians should drown themselves in dignity," he added.

Karpal also pointed out that Manoharan is a loyal member of DAP and the party will enlist support, both nationally and internationally, for the freedom of the five Hindraf leaders.

"In the meanwhile, I would advise Samy Vellu to back off and not seek cheap publicity," he said.

In the March 8 polls, Manoharan won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor which he contested under a DAP ticket.

Meanwhile, the Internal Security Minister has rejected Manoharan's application to attend the swearing-in ceremony for elected state representatives.

Manoharan and his four Hindraf colleagues are being held in Taiping's detention camp. 

Copyright © 1999-2007 Mkini Dotcom Sdn. Bhd.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news//80703