Sepang, September 10 (NIA): The two Indian-origin Tamil men who were charged for beating up the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Malaysia at the Kulala Lumpur International Airport last Sunday, have been allowed bail of RM 7000 (US$ 1704) in one surety each and told to appear in court on October 7.
Sessions Court Judge Muhamad Faizal Ismail on Friday charged businessman A. Kalaimughilan, 25, and taxi driver V. Balamurugan, 34, with rioting and causing hurt to the Sri Lanka High Commissioner in Malaysia, Ibrahim Sahib Ansar, when the latter had come to the airport to send off a Sri Lankan minister, Daya Gamage.
The Malaysian news agency Bernama reported that the two men who were charged pleaded not guilty. The charge had been read out to them in Tamil. Four other accused are still at large.
The charge is under Section 147 of the Penal Code. If found guilty they could be imprisoned for up to two years, or fined, or, both.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Fariza Hamzah requested bail at RM20,000 (US$ 4870) in one surety on the grounds that the incident occurred at the entry point to the country and it could tarnish Malaysia’s image. But M. Manoharan, representing the accused, requested a lower bail as his clients were from poor families and were the breadwinners. They also have no previous criminal record, he pointed out. The judge then fixed the bail at RM 7000 (US$ 1704).
Vaiko’s Demand
Meanwhile, in Chennai ,Tamil Nadu, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader, Vaiko, demanded the recall of the beaten up Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Malaysia.
Vaiko said that Ansar was attacked by Tamils because he had threatened to annihilate them the way the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were destroyed, when they expressed protest against the visit of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
“He was instrumental in branding Tamils who support the Sri Lankan Tamil cause as members of the LTTE and handed them over to the Sri Lankan government,” Vaiko alleged.
According to Vaiko, Ansar tried his best to deny him a visa when he was scheduled to attend the World Tamil Congress in Penang.
“He took steps to send me back to India.”
