Malaysian Indian challenges government order on party registration

Kuala Lumpur, April 7 (IANS) An ethnic Indian lawyer has challenged the government's decision not to register Human Rights Party (HRP) as a political party, saying the approval process adopted was 'selective' and 'mala fide.'

Lawyer P. Uthayakumar filed a judicial review application against the Home Minister and the Registrar of Societies (ROS), seeking for a court order registering his party that he has been seeking since the year 2000.

Uthayakumar, who filed the application as the HRP pro-tem secretary-general, named Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, the ROS, and the ROS Federal Territory branch, as respondents, The Star said Thursday.

Filing the application on his behalf was the firm, Messrs M. Manoharan & Co. Both Uthayakumar and Manoharan are leaders of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

They were among the five who were jailed for staging an anti-government rally in 2007, ventilating the perceived grievances of the 2.1 million ethnic Indian community with regard to employment and education opportunities and religious freedom.

The government rejected HRP's application March 29.

Uthayakumar said in his application: 'The respondents have acted with mala fide, by refusing to register HRP,' he said in his application, adding that 'selective approval' was practised by the respondents when approving and registering parties.'