Kuala Lumpur: An Ethnic Indian activist of the outlawed Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) today went on trial for sedition for alleging that Malaysian government practiced "ethnic cleansing" policies, but denounced the charge as "malicious persecution".

P Uttayakumar, a lawyer, appeared in the court for the first time after he and his four colleagues from Hindraf were detained under the controversial Internal Security Act last December without trail for inciting racial hatred. The Hindraf leader had organised a rally here to protest against marginalisation of ethnic Indians in the country. More than 20,000 people attended the rally in November 2007.

The Abdullah Badawi Government banned Hindraf last week declaring it an "extremist group" that was "detrimental to public order and security." The group's chairman, P Wayathamoorthy, who is Uttayakumar's brother, is currently reported to be in England on self-imposed exile. 47-year-old Uthayakumar was charged with sedition in December for publishing material on a Web site that accused the government of "ethnic cleansing" policies that included attacking and killing ethnic Indians.

The Hindraf leader told reporters that the government was being vindictive. "I will fight to the end. I think I ve become stronger as a result of my incarceration," he said. The ethnic Indian faces up to three years in prison if convicted. Ethnic Indians form eight per cent of Malaysia's population of 27 million people.

Source : PTI