Simpang Renggam detention centre inmate Balakrishnan Appala Naidu, who broke his 16-day hunger strike more than two weeks ago, remains warded in Johor Baru's Sultan Aminah General Hospital unable to speak and is very weak, his brother revealed today.

Thirumoorty Appala Naidu said that his brother has lost more than 20kg since starting his strike. He has also lost his ability to speak soon after ending the strike.

"When he was first placed in Johor's Simpang Renggam jail (April 29), he was around 120kg. Now he is less than 80kg. He initially started losing weight while in jail but now has lost a lot more since the strike. His health seems to be deteriorating," Thirumoorty told malaysiakini when contacted.

Balakrishnan who is a former MIC branch chief began the strike on Nov 11 along with 235 other inmates who protested against their continued incarceration without being taken to court and unsatisfactory living conditions at the centre.

He was held under the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969, under which the government can detain suspects for two years - without trial - to preserve public order or prevent violence.

The former politician is suspected to have been involved in gangsterism and other criminal activities.

Minister's words

Thirumoorty also said that he had personally delivered the relevant documents to Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar, who had on Nov 22, said he will issue release orders for Balakrishnan on obtaining the documents.

"I handed over the letters from Gombak District Office (where the detainee's remand order was supposedly issued from) and other documents from my brother's lawyer to the minister some time ago.

"He (Noh) said he will go through the papers and consider the case again with the police. It's been a while already and there is no news yet," said a distraught Thirumoorty.

The ministry's officer-in-charge of the case, Mohd Shafie Asnaim, when contacted, told malaysiakini he was unsure if the papers were submitted as he was not in the office. However he said the case is being considered.

Balakrishnan's lawyer, M Manoharan, said that one of the documents he submitted via Thirumoorty was a letter from the Gombak office - which has the capacity to issue remand orders in the absence of a magistrate - stating that there is no record of a remand order issued against his client.

"We'll wait till the middle of next week and if he's still not released, we'll take the necessary actions such as a court application to review the case," said Manoharan when contacted.

Balakrishnan's fellow inmate and hunger striker, Michael Soosai , whom the government has said they will also release, is still under detention. A similar application will be made if necessary, said the lawyer.