Hindraf leader's wife denies seeing Samy Vellu

(STAR) KLANG: ISA detainee and Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan's wife S. Pushpaneela has denied seeking MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's help for the release of her husband.

"I didn't go and see Samy Vellu," Pushpaneela said.

She was commenting on Samy Vellu's statement on Sunday that she had gone to see him to seek his help.

She added that she did not understand why Samy Vellu wanted to appeal to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for the release of the five Hindraf members detained under the ISA (Internal Security Act) at this juncture.

"Why now, when he could have done it earlier?" said Pushpaneela.

She added that the onus had been on Samy Vellu to advise the Prime Minister not to detain the Hindraf 5 under the ISA.

However she did not dismiss the possibility that their relatives had gone to see Samy Vellu to seek his help.

"We have many relatives who are MIC members and strong supporters of the party," said Pushpaneela.

Manoharan's father M.S. Malayalam is the Kanchong Laut MIC branch chairman while Pushpaneela's sister S. Thangeswari is the Perak MIC Wanita chief.

Pushpaneela also added that if she needed any help she would turn to DAP chairman Karpal Singh.

"Mr Karpal is my pillar of strength, and if I needed anyone's support or help, he would be the one would I turn to."

Meanwhile R. Kenghadaran's wife Dr M. Kalaivani said that she and her husband's family did approach Samy Vellu during the early days of the Hindraf 5's detention.

"It must have been two or three weeks after their detention, and we went to see Samy Vellu in his capacity as the leader of the Indian community," she said.

She said they had gone to see Samy Vellu in the hope of securing Kenghadaran's release.