No hidden agenda in Lim wishing to meet Uthaya

M Kulasegaran says Guan Eng was sincere in asking for proper medical treatment to be given to the Hindraf leader, and not to drum up Indian support.

PETALING JAYA: DAP vice chairman M Kulasegaran debunked a widely-circulated SMS accusing Lim Guan Eng of harbouring a hidden agenda when he requested to meet P Uthayakumar in prison.

The SMS reads: ‘DAP’s Lim Guan Eng intention to visit Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar in Kajang jail, all of sudden is a hidden agenda to fish for Indian delegates’ votes in the run up to DAP’s CEC elections on 29.9.13.

‘All delegates are strongly advised not to vote the father and son dynasty. Please forward – From Selangor DAP delegates,” it said, in an obvious reference to Lim and his father Kit Siang.

Kula said the allegation is baseless as Lim had simply urged the authorities to provide proper medical treatment to Uthayakumar after reports emerged that he has suffering from severe back pains.

He said the the DAP party secretary-general’s statement was made on July 22, well before the party agreed to conduct fresh elections on Aug 15.

Kula said Lim sent an official letter to Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and prisons department head Zulkifli Omar on July 22 and 24expressing his wish to meet Uthayakumar.

Request turned down

The prisons department turned down Lim’s application in a letter dated Sept 6, and Lim has since appealed to Ahmad Zahid to overturn Zulkifli’s refusal to grant him permission.

‘Thus it is untrue to allege that Guan Eng has ‘all of sudden’ shown concern for Uthayakumar’s health.

“It is also unfair to accuse him of soliciting support in light of the CEC elections using Uthayakumar’s health issue as the decision to hold re-election was only made on Aug 15,” said Kulasegaran.

DAP has about 2,500 delegates nationwide and its Indian delegates form a significant portion who may just decide the outcome of the re-election on Sept 29.

Lim and Kit Siang held the top two spots in the 20-seat central executive committee election last December.

Uthayakumar is currently serving a 30 months jail term in Kajang prison after he was found guilty of sedition for sending a letter to the British PM in 2007 highlighting the plight of Malaysian Indians.