Kuala Lumpur: State authorities of Penang have warned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supporters of arrest if they hold any assembly without police permit.

Penang authorities' move follows a recent Hindraf decision to gather in the state every Sunday.

''Anyone wanting to hold an assembly must first apply for a police permit or else it would be considered an illegal gathering, and those taking part can be arrested,'' a senior state security official has warned.

Police rounded up seven persons, including a web blogger, a teacher, activists and Hindraf supporters out of the 40 who gathered ''illegally'' in the state on Sunday to press their demands. All were later released.

Supporters of Hindraf held protests across Malaysia on Sunday demanding the Home Minister to immediately ensure that its leader P Uttayakumar, detained under the controversial Internal Security Act, is taken to the Heart Institute for treatment.

''Doctors have confirmed that Uttayakumar has some irregularities in his heart and we want him to be moved to the National Heart Institute immediately,'' Eshwari Wayathamoorthy, wife of Hindraf Chairman P Wayathamoorthy said.

Uttayakumar and four other Hindraf leaders were detained under ISA since December 2007 for organising a rally on November 25 last year in protest against marginalisation of
ethnic Indians in Malaysia.

Hindraf supporters, calling for moving Uttayakumar to the heart hospital, held small protests outside the iconic Petronas Twin Towers here. Protests were also held at Penang, Seremban, Ipoh and Johar Baru, Eshwari said.

She said police was on standby but just watched the peaceful chants by the protesters. She said at least 300 protesters had assembled outside the Twin Towers while 100 Hindraf supporters chanted in Seremban.

Hindraf supporters claimed that Uttayakumar's condition had become worse. Meanwhile, Uttayakumar's mother is to lead an appeal on behalf of all the ISA detainees to Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's office in the administrative capital of Putrajaya, outside Kuala lumpur, on Tuesday and later to parliament.

Source : PTI