Khairuddin and Chang outside the courtroom after they were charged on Oct 12
PETALING JAYA: Lawyer Matthias Chang ended his hunger strike on Wednesday on the advice of doctors due to his stomach ulcer and bleeding, his lawyer, Mohd Akmal Afiq, said.
“Matthias did this on medical advice. Doctors at Sungai Buloh Prison advised him to stop.
“Throughout his hunger strike, he only took water to take with his medicines. He did not eat anything during that period,” said Mohd Akmal when contacted by The Star Online on Friday.
He said Chang was still warded at the prison but his condition was getting better.
“Compared to Tuesday when I visited him, he has improved, better than before. Like always, he is always in good spirits,” Mohd Akmal said.
Chang posted a press statement on his website saying that he survived the hunger strike for seven days and has not suffered any serious injury.
He said he would now apply all his strength and energy to fight shoulder and shoulder with Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who was detained with him under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012.
Chang started the hunger strike on Oct 8 "to uphold justice, truth and honour" after he was detained. He later issued a statement challenging Umno leaders to join him in the hunger strike to demonstrate that they are willing to die for ‘Umno and Malay dignity’.
On Oct 12, Khairuddin and Chang were charged with attempting to sabotage the country’s banking and financial systems. No plea was recorded.
Magistrate Siti Radziah Kamarudin has fixed Oct 26 for re-mention of the case.
Khairuddin and Chang were charged with having committed the offences between June 28 and Aug 26 at the Paris Police Station in France; Charing Cross Police Station, London; the Switzerland Attorney-General’s office in Bern, Switzerland; Wai Chan Police Station, Hong Kong; and Cantonment Police Headquarters in Singapore.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
