M. Manoharan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In this Indian name, the name "Malayalam" is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, "Manoharan". The abbreviations "s/o" or "d/o", if used, mean "son of" or "daughter of" respectively.
Manoharan Malayalam
M. Manoharan
State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah
Incumbent
Assumed office 
8 March 2008
Born 13 September 1961 (1961-09-13) (age 46)
Flag of Selangor Selangor, Malaysia
Political party Flag of Malaysia Democratic Action Party (DAP)
Spouse S. Pushpaneela
Children 1 son
1 daughter
Occupation Flag of Malaysia State assembly member
Lawyer
HINDRAF activist
Religion Hinduism

Manoharan s/o Malayalam more commonly known as M. Manoharan is a prominent Malaysian lawyer and currently the State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah in the Selangor State Assembly. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party.[1]

Manoharan is more famous for his involvement in the HINDRAF movement. He was the lawyer that represented M. Moorthy's widow, Kaliammal Sinnasamy in a legal tussle over the late Everest conqueror's body. Manoharan.

Contents

[edit] Political Career

Manoharan is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP). In the 1999 general elections, Manoharan was the DAP candidate for the Segambut Constituency. Manoharan lost to the Barisan Nasional candidate Tan Kee Kwong with 16,340 votes opposed to Tan's 24,926 votes.[2]

In the 2008 general elections, Manoharan, represented the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and won the state seat getting twice as many votes as the ethnic Chinese candidate, in a seat dominated by ethnic Chinese voters. [3] M Manoharan obtained 12,699 votes to win with a 7,184-vote majority the Kota Alam Shah state seat. [4]

The news of his victory was one of the surprising ones in the 2008 elections as he is being detained under the Internal Security Act without trial after organising anti-discrimination protests. Manoharan is only the third person to have won an election while under ISA detention.

[edit] HINDRAF

HINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force is a coalition of 30 Hindu NGOs. Manoharan along with four other lawyers, P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy, K. Ganghadaran and V. Ganabatirau are seeking justice for the Hindu and Indian Malaysian community.

On October 30, 2007, Manoharan, P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy and S. V. Ganapathi Rao were arrested for taking part in a demonstration against the demolishment of a Hindu Shrine in Kuala Lumpur. Because of this "unlawful arrest", the lawyers are seeking 85 million Malaysian Ringgits in compensation, with Manoharan, Uthayakumar and Ganapathi Rao seeking 20 million while Waytha Moorthy is seeking 25 million.[5]

Manoharan was also part of a team of lawyers representing P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy and S. V. Ganapathi Rao after they were arrested again for sedition. Manoharan managed to obtain a discharge for the trio.[6][7]

[edit] Arrest under Internal Security Act (ISA)

Manoharan was arrested under the Internal Security Act on 13 December 2007.[8] Karpal Singh and M. Kulasegaran, two Democratic Action Party (DAP) Members of Parliaments filed an application to free Manoharan, but it was struck out by the presiding judge because the photocopy of the detention order served to Manoharan was not certified.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hindraf men DAP members New Straits Times
  2. ^ [1] 1999 election results
  3. ^ [2] Channel news Asia Report
  4. ^ [3] Malaysiakini Breaking news
  5. ^ "RM85 Million Suit by 4 Lawyers For wrongful arrest & detention" .
  6. ^ "Al Jazeera report Al Jazeera November 27, 2007.
  7. ^ [4] The Star, November 27, 2007.
  8. ^ 5 leaders of HINDRAF namely P.Uthayakumar, M.Manoharan,R.Kengadharan,B Ganabathi Rao and Vasanthan has been arrested under ISA.
  9. ^ Hindraf lawyer's habeas corpus application struck out The Star