Thursday December 22, 2005
Widow of climber files civil action
BY CHELSEA L.Y. NG
KUALA LUMPUR: The widow of L/Kpl M. Moorthy, a Mount Everest climber whose body became the subject of a tug-of-war between his family and religious authorities upon his death on Tuesday, filed a civil action in the High Court yesterday.
S. Kaliammal, 30, is seeking to declare that her late husband was a Hindu who practised the Hindu way of life prior to his death.
“I don't want to let go of my husband. I want my husband,” said a tearful Kaliammal outside the courthouse in Wisma Denmark.
In an originating summons filed at the Appellate and Special Powers division, Kali- ammal is also seeking to declare that Moorthy was not a Muslim and that any papers relating to his alleged conversion to Islam were null and void.
The housewife, who was accompanied by daughter Theneswary and Moorthy's mother R. Saraswathi, also seeks to compel Hospital Kuala Lumpur to release her husband's body to her for burial and restrain the director of the Federal Territory Religious Department (JAWI) from claiming the body.
She named both the hospital and JAWI as respondents in her application.
Lawyer M. Manoharan, who appeared for Kaliammal, said a certificate of urgency had been filed. He said the papers would be served on the respondents today.
Moorthy, 36, paralysed seven years ago, fell into a coma and was admitted to the intensive care unit of HKL's Neurology Department on Nov 11.
He lapsed into the coma after falling off from his wheelchair while going to a friend's house.
Moorthy, who joined the armed forces in 1998 and was absorbed into the Commando Unit a year later, was among the 10 climbers who took part in the Malaysia Everest 1997 project.
He was paralysed from the chest down after injuring his neck while attempting to somersault over a barrier at the Sungai Udang camp in Malacca on Aug 14, 1998.
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