Lawyer Matthias Chang today agreed to end his hunger strike following a plea from his ex-boss Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.According to a spokesman from Dr Mahathir’s office, the former prime minister, in his appeal to Chang, told the latter that he needed to end his fast as they had a lot of struggles ahead of them.
He said they needed him to continue with his struggle for justice for the Palestinians and Iraqis.
Dr Mahathir, who is currently abroad, also told his former political secretary that he would make every effort to have the unjust law repealed or amended and he needed Chang to advise him on it.
Chang, who went on a hunger strike from April 1, agreed to end the nine-day protest after Dr Mahathir’s appeal was relayed to him.
He had refused to take any solid food since his incarceration which took effect on April 1.
His health took a turn for the worst, forcing the Kajang Prison authorities to admit him to the Serdang Hospital on Monday where he was put on drips.
Even then Chang still refused to take any solids.
Chang was discharged from hospital on Wednesday and returned to the Kajang Prison but persisted with his hunger strike.
Meanwhile, friends who were concerned over his health came up with the money to pay the RM20,000 fine on Monday, which was accepted by the court, but an application for a discharge order was rejected by High Court judge Noor Azlan Shaari on grounds that such an application could not be made by a third party.
Noor Azian had earlier cited Chang for contempt and fined him RM20,000 in default one month’s jail. He refused to pay the fine and went to jail. — Bernama
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