Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian Indian lawmaker and leader of a Hindu rights group, released after being held for over a year under a draconian internal security law, has said he will not resign as an MP as he was no longer in detention and could serve his constituency.
Lawyer of the banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), M Manoharan, was earlier contemplating resigning his assembly seat as he was not able to serve the people of his constituency.
Manoharan, who won a seat as opposition Democratic Action Party candidate in 2008 when he was still under detention said he would continue working for his constituents after missing out on his duties for the past 14 months.
Three ethnic Indian activists of Hindraf, including Manoharan, who were held under the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA), were released on Saturday, in a move seen as an effort by the new government to improve racial relations.
Manoharan had earlier said he was mulling stepping down as assemblyman as he felt guilty towards his constituents.
"I even wrote to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on April 24 on my decision to resign and I was to have made the announcement on May 19 through (DAP chairman and lawyer) Karpal Singh.
"But since news of my intention to resign has already spread, I decided to state my stand (to not resign now)," he told a local daily after his release.