Malaysian hunger striker risks heart attack: Fiancee

A Malaysian ethnic Indian activist who has been hospitalised during a hunger strike is at risk of suffering a heart attack.

A Malaysian ethnic Indian activist who has been hospitalised during a hunger strike is at risk of suffering a heart attack, his fiancee said on Friday.

P Uthayakumar, who is protesting against being jailed without trial along with four other activists, was taken to hospital from a detention centre in northern Perak state on Thursday, suffering from dehydration and stomach pains.

His fiancee Indra Devi Subramanian said he was handcuffed to the hospital bed despite being in an extremely weak condition after going without food since Monday.

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“The first blood test shows that his potassium level is very high and the chance is for him to have a heart attack.

He also has very severe gastric pain and has had difficulties in breathing,” she told AFP.

Indra said that Uthayakumar, who was taken into detention in December after helping organise unprecedented protests alleging discrimination against minority ethnic Indians, was under heavy guard.

“They’re still treating him like a prisoner, even on the bed. It’s very sad to see his condition. He can’t move anywhere because one hand has the drip and the other hand is handcuffed to the bed,” she said.

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“There’s about eight to 10 policemen always surrounding him, they are there 24 hours a day, inside and outside the room.” However, she said he was committed to finishing the hunger strike which is due to end on Monday.

The four other detained activists from rights group Hindraf are also on hunger strike, along with dozens of supporters around the country, organisers said.

The five were jailed under the Internal Security Act (ISA) last month after the mass rally, which police dispersed with tear gas and water cannons.