Prisons Dept confirms Uthaya held in solitary as punishment

Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar has been placed in solitary confinement at the Kajang Prison for a total 13 days on two separate occasions for "refusing to take instructions".

Confirming this, the Prisons Department in a letter to the home minister and prime minister however denied that the solitary confinement was in a "dark room" as Uthayakumar had alleged.

"He was not placed in a dark room as the Kajang Prison or any prison in Malaysia does not have dark rooms," stated the letter, read by Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (left) while winding up the Prison Act Amendment Bill debates in Parliament yesterday.

The solitary confinement room also has a mattress, blanket and toiletries just like other cells and Uthayakumar was given the same food as other prisoners.

The letter added that on Oct 13 while Uthayakumar was in solitary confinement, he was also visited by his clerk and lawyer M Manoharan.

The letter also painted Uthayakumar as a recalcitrant prisoner who "often did not take instructions" and caused "tense situations" with the staff.

However, the Prisons Department said that the staff never treated him harshly and there was "no abuse" of the prisoner.

'MRI scan done'

The letter added that Uthayakumar, like other diabetic inmates, is also being supplied with bread and vegetables instead of rice, as advised by the prison nutritionist.

He was reportedly sent for an MRI scan at Hospital Ampang for his bad back caused by a prolapsed disc on Oct 2 and a follow-up appointment is set for next month.

Treatment has been administered by Hospital Kajang and has been approved by the Ministry of Health deputy director-general, said the Prisons Department.

Uthayakumar, who is serving his 30-month sentence for sedition, has complained that he is being tortured, made to sleep on the floor and treated badly.

His open letter to the prime minister was read out by Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) during the debate in the Dewan Rakyat at the same sitting.

Meanwhile, the Prison (Amendment) Bill to add more lock-ups was passed without changes in a voice vote.