M. Manoharan
Encyclopedia
Manoharan s/o Malayalam more commonly known as M. Manoharan is a prominent Malaysian lawyer
and currently the State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah in the Selangor State Assembly
. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party
.
Manoharan is more famous for his involvement in the HINDRAF
movement. He was the lawyer that represented M. Moorthy
's widow, Kaliammal Sinnasamy in a legal tussle over the late Everest
conqueror's body. Manoharan.
Constituency. Manoharan lost to the Barisan Nasional
candidate Tan Kee Kwong with 16,340 votes opposed to Tan's 24,926 votes.
In the 2008 general elections
, Manoharan, represented the Democratic Action Party
(DAP) and won the state seat getting twice as many votes as the ethnic Chinese
candidate, in a seat dominated by ethnic Chinese voters. M Manoharan obtained 12,699 votes to win with a 7,184-vote majority the Kota Alam Shah state seat.
The news of his victory was one of the surprising ones in the 2008 elections as he is being detained under the Internal Security Act
without trial after organising anti-discrimination protests. Manoharan is only the third person to have won an election while under ISA detention.
On the 9th of May 2009, Manoharan, along with P. Uthayakumar and K. Vasantha Kumar were released from ISA detention at about 2.30.
or Hindu Rights Action Force is a coalition of 30 Hindu
NGOs. Manoharan along with four other lawyers, P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy
, K. Ganghadaran and V. Ganabatirau are seeking justice for the Hindu and Indian Malaysian community.
On October 30, 2007, Manoharan, P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy
and S. V. Ganapathi Rao were arrested for taking part in the 2007 HINDRAF demonstration against the demolishment of a Hindu Shrine in Kuala Lumpur
. Because of this "unlawful arrest", the lawyers are seeking 85 million Malaysian Ringgits
in compensation, with Manoharan, Uthayakumar and Ganapathi Rao seeking 20 million while Waytha Moorthy is seeking 25 million.
Manoharan was also part of a team of lawyers representing P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy and S. V. Ganapathi Rao after they were arrested again for sedition
. Manoharan managed to obtain a discharge for the trio.
Arrest under Internal Security Act
Manoharan was arrested under the Internal Security Act
on 13 December 2007. Karpal Singh
and M. Kulasegaran
, two Democratic Action Party
(DAP) Members of Parliaments filed an application to free Manoharan, but it was struck out by the presiding judge because the photocopy of the detention order served to Manoharan was not certified.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and currently the State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah in the Selangor State Assembly
Dewan Undangan Negeri
A state legislative assembly is the legislature of each of the 13 Malaysian states. Members of a state legislative assembly comprises elected representatives from single-member constituencies during state elections through the first-past-the-post system....
. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party
Democratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
.
Manoharan is more famous for his involvement in the HINDRAF
HINDRAF
HINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force ; Chinese:兴权 with its slogan of People's Power மக்கள் சக்தி ) began as a coalition of 30 Hindu non-governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in a multiracial Malaysia...
movement. He was the lawyer that represented M. Moorthy
Maniam Moorthy
Maniam Moorthy, also known as Mohammad Abdullah, was a corporal in the Malaysian Army and a member of the first group of Malaysians to successfully climb Mount Everest...
's widow, Kaliammal Sinnasamy in a legal tussle over the late Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
conqueror's body. Manoharan.
Political career
Manoharan is a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP). In the 1999 general elections, Manoharan was the DAP candidate for the SegambutSegambut
Segambut is a sub-district and a parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.From the high-end condominiums of Mont Kiara and Sri Kiara to the middle-class areas of Taman Sri Segambut and Bandar Manjalara, and the rural areas of Segambut Dalam and Kampung Sungai Penchala, the Segambut...
Constituency. Manoharan lost to the Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
candidate Tan Kee Kwong with 16,340 votes opposed to Tan's 24,926 votes.
In the 2008 general elections
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
, Manoharan, represented the Democratic Action Party
Democratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
(DAP) and won the state seat getting twice as many votes as the ethnic Chinese
Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin. Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" in all languages. The term Chinese Malaysian is also sometimes used to refer to...
candidate, in a seat dominated by ethnic Chinese voters. M Manoharan obtained 12,699 votes to win with a 7,184-vote majority the Kota Alam Shah state seat.
The news of his victory was one of the surprising ones in the 2008 elections as he is being detained under the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
without trial after organising anti-discrimination protests. Manoharan is only the third person to have won an election while under ISA detention.
On the 9th of May 2009, Manoharan, along with P. Uthayakumar and K. Vasantha Kumar were released from ISA detention at about 2.30.
HINDRAF
HINDRAFHINDRAF
HINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force ; Chinese:兴权 with its slogan of People's Power மக்கள் சக்தி ) began as a coalition of 30 Hindu non-governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in a multiracial Malaysia...
or Hindu Rights Action Force is a coalition of 30 Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
NGOs. Manoharan along with four other lawyers, P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy sometimes spelt Waythamoorthy is a Malaysian lawyer of Tamil origin who is currently a member of the HINDRAF campaign to fight discrimination against Malaysian Hindus.-Early life:...
, K. Ganghadaran and V. Ganabatirau are seeking justice for the Hindu and Indian Malaysian community.
On October 30, 2007, Manoharan, P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy sometimes spelt Waythamoorthy is a Malaysian lawyer of Tamil origin who is currently a member of the HINDRAF campaign to fight discrimination against Malaysian Hindus.-Early life:...
and S. V. Ganapathi Rao were arrested for taking part in the 2007 HINDRAF demonstration against the demolishment of a Hindu Shrine in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. Because of this "unlawful arrest", the lawyers are seeking 85 million Malaysian Ringgits
Ringgit
Ringgit mostly refers to the Malaysian ringgit, which is the local currency in Malaysia, but it can also refer to the Brunei dollar or Singapore dollar in the Malay language. The word ringgit was originally used to refer to the serrated edges of Spanish silver dollars widely circulated in the area...
in compensation, with Manoharan, Uthayakumar and Ganapathi Rao seeking 20 million while Waytha Moorthy is seeking 25 million.
Manoharan was also part of a team of lawyers representing P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy and S. V. Ganapathi Rao after they were arrested again for sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
. Manoharan managed to obtain a discharge for the trio.
Arrest under Internal Security ActInternal Security Act (Malaysia)The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
(ISA)
Manoharan was arrested under the Internal Security ActInternal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
on 13 December 2007. Karpal Singh
Karpal Singh
Karpal Singh is a Malaysian lawyer and politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the neighbourhood of Bukit Gelugor in the state of Penang since 2004...
and M. Kulasegaran
M. Kulasegaran
M. Kulasegaran s/o V. Murugeson commonly referred to as M. Kulasegaran is a Malaysian politician and is the current Member of Parliament for Ipoh Barat, Perak. He is a member the Democratic Action Party in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition...
, two Democratic Action Party
Democratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
(DAP) Members of Parliaments filed an application to free Manoharan, but it was struck out by the presiding judge because the photocopy of the detention order served to Manoharan was not certified.