Uthayakumar was in solitary confinement, not in a “dark room”, says Prison Department

The Malaysian Insider
October 25, 2013

The Prisons Department has denied placing Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar in a “dark room” during his solitary confinement at Kajang Prison.

In a letter sent to the home minister and prime minister, the department said that there were “no dark rooms” in any prison in Malaysia.

The letter, read out by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar in Parliament yesterday, also said that Uthayakumar had been placed in solitary confinement for a total of 13 days on two separate occasions as he had “refused to take instructions”.

Uthayakumar was a rebellious prisoner who caused “tense situations” with the prison staff, the letter said. But the department denied that he was treated harshly or that they had abused him.

It was also revealed that the solitary confinement room has a mattress, blanket and toiletries just like other cells and Uthayakumar was given the same food as other prisoners. He is being served bread and vegetables instead of rice as he is diabetic.

Uthayakumar, 49, began serving a 30-month jail sentence at the Kajang Prison on June 5 after being found guilty of sedition.

His lawyer filed a petition of appeal, sourced from the notes of evidence and submissions during trial in the Sessions Court, to the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday as the written grounds from the Sessions judge has not been prepared yet.

In an open letter to the prime minister earlier, Uthayakumar claimed that he was being tortured and treated badly, and made to sleep on the floor.

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo read his letter during the debate in the Dewan Rakyat sitting.

The Prisons Department denied Uthayakumar’s accusations, saying that the prisoner was visited by his clerk and lawyer M Manoharan on October 13 while in solitary confinement. – October 25, 2013.