I refer to the Malaysiakini report 'Waythamoorthy can return any time' .

This is so unbecoming of a home minister. He has no sense of accountability and transparency in the interest of public by claiming that Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy had returned his passport to the Malaysian High Commission in London.

It is a well-known fact that based on written instructions from Malaysian authorities on March 14, 2008, the British government had retained Waythamoorthy’s passport on his return from Geneva on April 21, 2008.

It is also another fact that the Malaysian authorities had written to the British government on July 2, 2008 to return the retained passport to them. There is black and white evidence of this in the form of a letter from the UK Border Agency.

These are factual events, not some unsubstantiated stories we’re telling to hoodwink the public. Hindraf challenges the home minister to produce evidence to substantiate his claims rather than twisting the truth to deceive the public.

Further, the home minister insinuates that ‘despite returning his passport, he is still a citizen although he claims otherwise’.

Waythamoorthy has never claimed ‘otherwise’ and has always maintained to be a loyal Malaysian but has been forcefully prevented from returning to Malaysia for fear of unlawful persecution by the Malaysian authorities.

These lies by Syed Hamid Albar are the blatant arrogance of the home minister against a Malaysian citizen.

Bearing in mind his precarious medical condition , the Malaysian government should show their humanitarian side for once by allowing Waythamoorthy to recuperate with his family and loved ones with the following conditions:

1. The Malaysian government to issue a new Malaysian passport to replace his revoked passport and this to be made available to him or his representative and to be collected from the Malaysian High Commission in London.

2. The Malaysian government guarantees the safe return of Waythamoorthy to allow him to recuperate with his family members and loved ones.

3. The Malaysian government guarantees that he will not be subjected to any arrest, harassment or charges upon his return including being detained under the ISA.

4. The Malaysian government assures and guaranteea that he will be allowed to return to London for follow-up medical check-ups and for possible further operations.

5. Lastly, the Malaysian government unconditionally guarantees that his life will be protected from any form of persecution upon his return and that no harm shall befall him.

The writer is Hindraf’s New York-based coordinator.