Kuala Lumpur (PTI): An ethnic Indian activist, detained under a controversial security law for having organised an "illegal" rally against his community's marginalisation, has been receiving medical treatment for his diabetic condition, Malaysian prison authorities said.

P Uthayakumar, a member of the non-governmental Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), has also been supplied with various types of medicine, the Prisons Department said in a statement here.

It said Uthayakumar received treatment 10 times at government hospitals and clinics till last month since his detention in December last year.

No prisoner has been deprived of medical treatment while under detention, the statement said.

The Department's statement comes after Hindraf supporters urged authorities to move Uthayakumar to the Heart Institute as he had developed some heart-related problems.

All prisoners and detainees have access to a 24-hour medical service by a medical assistant and the prisons' panel doctor, the New Straits Times quoted the department as saying.

Uthayakumar is one of the five Hindraf leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) since December 13 for his role in organising the "illegal" rally on November 25 last year. More than 20,000 ethnic Indians took part in the rally taking the government by surprise.

The department said a directive was issued by the Home Minister to allow Uthayakumar to go to Penang Hospital and the National Heart Institute to be examined by specialists.

"After the department secured approval for him to go to Heart institute he decided against it after his application to meet his family and lawyer during the time outside the ISA regulation was not considered," the paper quoted the department as saying.