Last night Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) was informed by the police that Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar has started his hunger strike in his police lockup to back the demand for the release of six PSM detainees under Emergency Ordinance (EO).
"After waiting for hours in anxiety, we were finally notified by DSP Muhammad Razali that Dr Jeyakumar has declined lunch and dinner and his condition is said to be OK as of 9.35pm on 28 July 20011 and that he is being monitored," said PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan in a statement issued today.
According to Arutchelvan, Jeyakumar has vowed that he will stop only when the government sets all six detainees free.He also warned that should the government continue to remand the six against popular sentiment, PSM and other groups would intensify the campaign, including calling for more hunger strikes.
"We believe that more Malaysians will be joining Dr Jeyakumar in this hunger strike to call for the release."
Arutchelvan explained that the campaign has reached a crucial point as the EO allows for a review within 30 days which will end on Sunday.
"We will also make it clear that the home minister is entitled to revoke this order and any time.
"We therefore call upon Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein to use his powers to immediately release the six without conditions."
The campaign will reach another peak as PSM and the civil society will launch a 12-hour candlelight vigil tomorrow.
They plan to kick off the candlelight vigil at 9pm and march to the Bukit Aman federal police headquarter at 9am the following Sunday morning.
Jeyakumar, PSM deputy chairperson M Sarasvathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M Sukumaran, Youth wing chief R Saratbabu and Sungai Siput branch secretary A Letchumanan were arrested in Kepala Batas on June 26 while on a roadshow to raise awareness on "bad governance" of the BN ruling government.
On July 2, the six were re-arrested by the police outside the court after being released by the magistrate.
In another related development, last night police had rejected the request of the six detainees's counsel to meet with them today
The campaign will reach another peak as PSM and the civil society will launch a 12-hour candlelight vigil tomorrow.They plan to kick off the candlelight vigil at 9pm and march to the Bukit Aman federal police headquarter at 9am the following Sunday morning.
Jeyakumar, PSM deputy chairperson M Sarasvathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M Sukumaran, Youth wing chief R Saratbabu and Sungai Siput branch secretary A Letchumanan were arrested in Kepala Batas on June 26 while on a roadshow to raise awareness on "bad governance" of the BN ruling government.
On July 2, the six were re-arrested by the police outside the court after being released by the magistrate.
In another related development, last night police had rejected the request of the six detainees's counsel to meet with them today
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