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Rayer Challenges Ramasamy To Present Evidence
Dec 9 (Bernama) -- Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer has challenged Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy and his personal assistant, M.Satees Kumar to present evidence and name the two Penang assemblymen who had allegedly misused power as claimed in a social website. (....more)
Thursday December 8, 2011 Power struggle in the DAP Comment
By Baradan Kuppusamy |
| As the general election draws near, rival groups in the DAP are lobbying for their faction members to be picked as candidates, causing old animosities in the DAP to resurface.
LIKE in Perak and Selangor, the problems in Johor’s DAP has to do with two party factions vying for control – control to decide who gets to contest in Johor – a state which Pakatan Rakyat considers a winning state in the next general election.
The problem is state chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau is not in the good books of DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Dr Boo is independent-minded and controls the state DAP quite firmly while Lim has been looking to develop an alternative leader in Johor who can cut Dr Boo down to size or even take over the state’s chairmanship.
One of only two doctors in the DAP leadership, Dr Boo also holds a law degree and is seen as a party dissident along with Datuk Teng Chang Kim.
The two are always elected to the central executive committee (CEC) as outsiders and are not part of Lim’s line-up.
“He is a no nonsense person.. definitely not a yes man to Lim,” said a Perak DAP member.
Lim wants his man in Johor like in Selangor and Perak, two states that saw a hard tussle for power and were finally won by people loyal to the party secretary-general.
The choice of candidates in Johor, to be recommended by the state leadership and accepted by the central CEC, is causing old animosities to surface.
Public demonstrations, rare in the DAP, against Dr Boo outside a mall in the Bakri division in Muar have been organised.
The demonstrators carried placards and banners and shouted slogans accusing Dr Boo of being autocratic and pushing for the Johor DAP secretary Tan Chen Choon, the husband of Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan, to contest the Bentayan state seat.
Fong has distanced herself from all party functions and it is unclear whether she will be nominated to contest.
The demonstrators have the tacit support of the powers that be in the DAP and are seen as having the backing of DAP’s Gwee Tiong Hiang, the Bentayan assemblyman, whose membership in the party was recently suspended for six months for allegedly diverting party funds to buy a four-wheel-drive.
Gwee was being groomed to take over from Dr Boo but has fallen short of the expectations of party leaders and it is unclear whether he would be renominated.
In the meantime, Dr Boo is said to be pushing Tan, the Johor secretary and loyalist to Dr Boo, as the candidate for Bentayan to replace Gwee.
The demonstrators argued that Tan had a poor track record in serving the people and should not be the candidate.
Infighting in Johor DAP is becoming rampant as the election draws near and rivals groups are lobbying for their faction members to be picked as candidates.
Dr Boo will have a big say as he is chairman and also controls the state DAP with an iron hand.
His few detractors have become the “eyes and ears” of the central leadership.
In Perak, the tussle for control was won by the Foochow cousins – state DAP Chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and secretary Nga Kor Ming — against then deputy chairman M. Kulasegaran and organising secretary Thomas Su.
The winning factions than elevated Tronoh assemblyman and former state speaker V. Sivakumar to replace Kulasegaran as the new deputy chairman and Teh Hock Ke to replace Thomas as organising secretary.
Kulasegaran’s candidacy in Ipoh Barat for the next general election is in question ever since the defeat.
Both men did not even make it to one of the 15 for the CEC.
This is the reason why Dr P. Ramasamy is in trouble with Karpal Singh for saying in a Tamil newspaper last week that Kulasegaran and four others will contest in the next general election in their respec- tive seats.
Karpal warned that Dr Ramasamy is acting like a warlord by announcing candidates even before the CEC has decided.
In Selangor, Teng, also the state speaker, put a line-up against another fielded by Lim which was led by Teresa Kok, the Seputeh MP.
Kok and her entire line-up nearly lost to Teng’s but were saved by Ronnie Liu, the disgraced Selangor exco member and loyalist of party supremo Lim Kit Siang, with whom Kok formed an alliance that brought about 200 voters to her side.
Old animosities in the DAP are resurfacing in Penang, Perak, Selangor and Johor – all key states – as the faction leaders and members battle to be picked as candidates in the upcoming general election.
The race to be a candidate is causing upheavals in state DAPs because the winners in the state elections want to ease out some of the losers and naturally put in their own supporters as candidates in their place.
But the losers are holding out and lobbying for one more term. |
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Kampung Buah Pala Issue (The High Chaparral) |
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Malaysian Indian Minority and Human Rights Violations Annual Report 2008
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Indians Begging for Positions |
Friday, December 09, 2011
MIC Central Working Committee member K P Samy today mocked at Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the opposition front leaders, particularly Penang deputy chief Minister Professor Ramasamy, for securing the Penang Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) post by begging rather than by fighting for the rights of the Indians.
“Pakatan Rakyat (Opposition Front) in the past had always condemned MIC as being subservient to Barisan National (National Front) and always begging them for the Indian community needs”, said K P Samy in a press statement.
“DCM Ramasamy issue has exposed the DAP Indian leaders pathetic state in the party. Indians there have to beg for positions. As such, they can’t deride MIC anymore”, he added.
“DAP is solely for the Chinese. Thus, MIC is the best party to represent the Indians in the country”.
Professor Ramasamy, one time arm-chair critic of MIC, lately landed in trouble for over stepping his authority by announcing the candidates for the 13th general elections. That earned the ire of DAP Chairman Karpal Singh resulting in brief exchanges.
Subsequently, DAP leaders Rayer and Thanasegaran, alleged Ramasamy of meeting Karpal Singh in hospital and begged him for the DCM post.
Ramasamy, however, denied seeking the post for himself but was rather seeking (or begging) for the Indian community.
Begging for himself or for the Indian community is certainly odd for a man who embraced Tamil Tiger Chief Prabaharan as his supreme leader.
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Makkal Osai |
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Makkal Osai |
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| Penang DAP told not to lose sight of real enemy
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| K Pragalath and Athi Shankar | December 9, 2011 FMT |
PETALING JAYA: The Selangor DAP, saying enough is enough, wants an immediate truce to the fued involving Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy.
Selangor DAP vice chairman Charles Santiago, along with state committee members senator S Ramakrishnan and T Kannan, made the call today.
“The fighting factions need to have an immediate truce. They should no longer wash dirty linen in the public,” said Santiago, who is Klang MP.
He said this in reaction to public spat between Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy and factions supporting party national chairman Karpal Singh.
On Monday, Karpal questioned Ramasamy, who is also party deputy secretary general, for announcing that the party had decided to field three Indian women – D Kamachi, Kasturi (daughter of the late DAP stalwart P Patto), and an unknown lawyer from Penang, K Mangleswari.
Ramasamy was also quoted by Tamil daily Makkal Osai as saying that parliamentarians M Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat), Charles Santiago (Klang) and M Manogaran (Teluk Intan), and assemblyman A Sivanesan (Sungkai) were virtually certain of contesting in the coming general election.
Karpal also warned party leaders against becoming political warlords by circumventing the leadership to promise and announce seats for their cronies.
Ramasamy however denied that Karpal had targetted him but had said that DAP should get rid of not only warlords but godfathers as well.
State leaders aligned to Karpal had then started criticising Ramasamy for trying to undermine Karpal.
The enemy is BN
“The Penang state leadership should call for an emergency meeting to resolve problem immediately,” said Santiago.
In addition, the Selangor DAP leaders also reminded their Penang counterparts not to tarnish the position of the Deputy Chief Minister II post which was given to an Indian.
“The position (of DCM II) is an honour to the Indian community. Do not tarnish the position,” said Santiago.
He also urged the Penang DAP Indians to save their energy for a bigger battle against the Barisan Nasional in the upcoming general election.
“The spat only serves to reduce confidence in the state leadership and this is bad since Penang is a model state,” said Santiago.
Demo put off, table talk cancelled
 Meanwhile a scheduled round table talk tonight at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in Komtar, Penang, to end the ‘Ramasamy fiasco’ has been called off.
Seri Delima assemblyman RS Nethaji Rayer, who was called up to attend the table talk, said he had received a text message from Penang DAP secretary and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary Ng Wei Aik confirming its cancellation.
“No reasons were given however. But the grassroots delegates will raise their grouses at the state DAP convention this Sunday. Ng, the Komtar assemblyman, could not be reached for comments.
Earlier, a group of DAP grassroots leaders and members cancelled a scheduled demonstration against Ramasamy outside the state office.
Rayer said the protest was cancelled following directives from Lim, Karpal and veteran Lim Kit Siang.
Instead the group was told that a meeting had been arranged tonight to reach a truce among warring parties and end the fiasco. But now it has been called off. |
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| Warlord Ramasamy in trouble |
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Human Rights Party calls him Mandor (overseer). But the Penang deputy chief minister, Professor Ramasamy, is trying hard to be a DAP Indian warlord as if he has the power to determine the Indian candidates for the next 13th general elections.
Lately, Ramasamy issued several statements considered to be beyond his authority to Tamil dailies. He even put the opposition in a quandary when he promised Indian deputy prime minister if they come to power. |
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Mandor or Warlord vs Godfather |
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Ramasamy faces storm at Penang DAP meet
Malasiakini
http://malaysiakini.com/news/183480
Ramasamy faces storm at Penang DAP meet
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Susan Loone, 6:11PM Dec 7, 2011
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Penang DAP deputy head P Ramasamy must retract his remark about ‘godfathers in DAP’ and apologise to the national chief Karpal Singh, or face a showdown at the state convention on Sunday.
 State committee member RSN Rayer (left) warned that "all hell will break loose" if Ramasamy fails to do so.
Many grassroot leaders and members are upset about the remark, he said, accusing Ramasamy of having forgotten that it is because of Karpal that he is DCM II of Penang.
When Pakatan Rakyat took over Penang in 2008, Ramasamy - the Batu Kawan MP - had "begged" his way to the post, Rayer claimed.
"At that time, Karpal was hospitalised. Ramasamy went to see him and literally begged him to speak to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng about appointing him to the post," Rayer told an emergency press conference today.
"He was appointed after Karpal spoke to Lim.”
‘Don’t belittle godfathers’
Ramasamy had yesterday said that the DAP should not only rid itself of warlords but godfathers as well. This was in the context of decisions on seat allocations for the 13th general election.
He did not specify who he meant by "godfathers" but several leaders have ticked him off for being "disrespectful" to senior leaders.
 Karpal responded by saying that godfathers are necessary as veteran leaders have contributed to the party’s progress.
Rayer said Karpal is one of the most senior Indian Malaysian leader in Penang and Ramasamy "should not show disrespect" to him.
Karpal and DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang are indeed godfathers, noted Rayer, as they have gone through many struggles in the party.
They had also been detained under the draconian Internal Security Act and had been arrested under the Sedition Act.
"Ramasamy has not gone through all this. So do not belittle the godfathers," Rayer added.
Karpal hits out at DAP warlords
It’s the CEC, the party supreme decision-making body, which decides on candidates and seats, says the DAP national chairman.
 GEORGE TOWN: DAP national chairman Karpal Singh today warned certain party leaders against becoming political warlords by circumventing the leadership to promise and announce seats for their cronies on their own accord.
He said that no party leader or even member has the right to bypass the party top decision-making body, the central executive committee (CEC), to allot seats for their cronies.
“No one has the authority to choose or announce candidates and seats.
“Only the top leadership has the rightful privilege to do so,” Karpal, the Bukit Gelugor MP, told FMT here today.
Firing a broadside against Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, Karpal stressed that the party would not hesitate to take stern disciplinary action against the “warlords”.
“There is no room for warlords in DAP.
“The party never had warlords and will never entertain it in future,” he said.
He was commenting on a recent vernacular newspaper article quoting Ramasamy, a CEC member, as saying that the party had decided to field three Indian women – D Kamachi, Kasturi (daughter of the late DAP stalwart P Patto) , and an unknown lawyer from Penang, Mangleswari.
Ramasamy was also quoted as saying that parliamentarians M Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat), Charles Santiago (Klang) and M Manogaran, and assemblyman A Sivanesan (Sungkai) were virtually certain of contesting in the coming general election.
According to the article, Ramasamy, the Penang DAP deputy chief, has also claimed that he would re-contest both his Prai state and Batu Kawan federal seats.
This has irked Karpal who has repeatedly said that the DAP would field one candidate for one seat in the next polls, albeit minor exemptions to the rule.
Dismissing Ramasamy’s claim that the party had given him the green light to contest both seats, Karpal said the CEC was yet to decide on party candidates and their seats for the next general election.
He also pointed out that current incumbent elected representatives do not even have the luxury to choose their seat in next polls.
He said the incumbents would even be dropped altogether if found to be incompetent.
He added that it was for the CEC to decide on candidates and their seats based on performance and winning credentials.
One exemption
One exemption to the “one man-one seat” rule, however, is that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng would be allowed to contest both in state and parliamentary seats.
For time being, Karpal said the chief minister needed to be a MP to raise state issues in Parliament.
Another exemption will be applied in Sabah and Sarawak due to lack of credible candidates.
“Elsewhere, a person can only contest one seat,” said Karpal.
The one man-one seat decision, which has been agreed on principle by the CEC and backed by many party members, would affect at least five current double-seat elected representatives.
Apart from Ramasamy, the others are Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow (Tanjung MP and Padang Kota assemblyman), Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham (Beruas MP and Sitiawan assemblyman) and secretary Nga Kor Ming (Taiping MP and Pantai Remis assemblyman), and Teresa Kok Suh Sim (Seputeh MP and Kinrara assemblywoman).
Karpal said the double-seat incumbents were not privileged to decide on which seat to omit and which to contest.
“It’s the CEC, the party supreme decision-making body, which decides.
“Hence, no one shall act like a warlord and make premature announcements,” Karpal said in a pointed reference to Ramasamy.
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Ramasamy: DAP should not have godfathers
source: http://malaysiakini.com/news/183291 Susan Loone
7:55AM Dec 6, 2011, Malaysiakini
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There must be no ‘godfathers' in the DAP, since seat allocation during elections is decided by the party's central executive committee (CEC), Penang DAP deputy chief P Ramasamy has declared.
With the party gearing up for an early 13th general election, which could even be called in the first quarter of 2012, seat allocation is not to be decided by one person alone but by a committee comprising several DAP leaders he said.
Ramasamy, who is also Penang deputy chief minister II, said he agreed with DAP chairperson Karpal Singh, who recently warned that there should be no "warlords" in the party intending to promise or announce seats for their cronies.
 He said Karpal was correct in issuing the statement as he is party chief, but disagreed that the remark was directed at him personally.
"We all accept that there should be no warlords in DAP, but there should not be any godfathers, too," Ramasamy said.
"I will talk to Karpal about the matter since I do not think he is targeting me personally, as reported by an online website.
"I understand politics very well. I was a lecturer in political science for 25 years," he added.
Ramasamy, the Prai assemblyperson, was referring to Karpal's latest statement, as reported on Free Malaysia Today (FMT), that "no one has the authority to choose or announce candidates and seats".
"Only the top leadership has the privilege to do so," Karpal, the Bukit Gelugor MP, said yesterday.
The website said Karpal, in "firing a broadside against Ramasamy", had stressed that the party would not hesitate to take stern disciplinary action against the warlords.
The well-known lawyer was referring to Tamil language dailies that quoted Ramasamy as announcing several decisions on the party's seat allocation.
However, Ramasamy denied that Karpal had targeted him personally with the remark, saying the "online report had twisted" the DAP chief's comments.
"If this (the story being twisted) continues, I plan to take the necessary action," he told Malaysiakini.
Reports in Tamil papers denied
Ramasamy is also upset with the Tamil language dailies for quoting him as saying that the party had decided to field three Indian women candidates.
The trio reportedly mentioned by Ramasamy are D Kamachi, Kasturi (a daughter of the late DAP stalwart P Patto) and a lawyer from Penang named only as Mangleswari.
Ramasamy, who is also Batu Kawan MP, said when asked about the three, he had merely replied that "there is a possibility that the party may field more women candidates".
He also denied telling the Tamil newspapers that parliamentarians M Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat), Charles Santiago (Klang) and M Manogaran (Teluk Intan) and assemblyperson A Sivanesan (Sungkai) were "virtually certain" of contesting in the coming general election.
"How can I say this? I deny saying this," said an upset Ramasamy, who is also a member of the party's central executive committee.
 According to the report, which also appeared on FMT, Ramasamy is quoted as saying that he would re-contest both his Prai state and Batu Kawan parliamentary seats.
To this, Ramasamy replied, "I have always maintained that the decision (on seat allocations) is up to the CEC. No one person can make a decision as there are other members in the committee.
"I am not a bloody fool. I feel the story has been twisted," he said.
When contacted, Karpal said his remarks were based on the newspaper reports quoting Ramasamy about two weeks ago.
The veteran politician said he responded on the matter because Ramasamy had not denied the reports.
However, Karpal said, the quote about "taking stern disciplinary action on warlords" in the FMT report was general remark and not targeted at Ramasamy.
He denied "firing a broadside" at Ramasamy, saying the statement was the "reporter's own words".
"But my message (on warlords) is aimed at others who intend to be such," he told Malaysiakini.
Karpal said he was cautioning party members on the matter as he did not wish to see a repeat of the situation in Johor occurring elsewhere.
Last Saturday, about 20 Bakri DAP division members held a protest in Muar against Johor DAP leader Dr Boo Cheng Hau, accusing him of being "autocratic".
During the protest, several members described Johor DAP secretary Tan Chen Choon as having a poor track record in serving the people.
The protesters also called on secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to take action against Boo. |
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| Malaysiakini |
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Karpal says 'godfathers' are necessary
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Susan Loone
1:22PM Dec 6, 2011 |
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DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh has cautioned against using the term 'godfathers' to describe veteran leaders, but says such elders are necessary to ensure the party’s progress.
While admitting that the term godfathers may be misunderstood, Karpal added that the party, however, does not need ‘warlords’.
Warlords, he said, are party leaders who promise and announce seat allocations for their cronies ahead of the party central executive committee’s decision.
 According to the Bukit Gelugor MP, godfathers are long-serving leaders who have helped build the party from its early days so that the younger generation could rise to their current positions.
“Present leaders in DAP came to be where they are today due to the godfathers,” Karpal ( left) told Malaysiakini today.
Karpal said that leaders like Ramasamy “benefitted” from such veteran leaders, adding “leaders like him would not be able to make it if not for the godfathers, as party members were not elected based on their own strengths but due to the party's.”
'Ramasamy benefitted too'
The veteran lawyer was responding to remarks made by Penang DAP deputy chief P Ramasamy, who said the DAP should be rid of not only warlords but godfathers as well.
Ramasamy did not specifically name any veteran leader in DAP but went on to say that seat allocations for the coming general election would be decided not by one leader but jointly by members of the party's central executive committee.
Ramasamy was reported by a Tamil language daily last week to have announced seat allocations for his cronies, which he has vehemently denied.
 The Penang Deputy Chief Minister II ( right) insisted that he was misquoted by the newspapers, saying that he had always maintained that decision on seat allocations was the prerogative of the party's CEC.
Ramasamy was upset with the Tamil dailies for quoting him as saying that the party had decided to field three Indian women candidates.
The Prai assemblyperson also denied telling the Tamil newspapers that parliamentarians M Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat), Charles Santiago (Klang) and M Manogaran, and assemblyperson A Sivanesan (Sungkai) were “virtually certain” of contesting in the coming general election.
He dismissed the report, which also appeared in Free Malaysia Today, quoting him as saying that he would re-contest both his Prai state seat and Batu Kawan parliamentary seat.
On Ramasamy’s denial, Karpal suggested that the former issue an immediate statement to say that he has been misquoted. “But until now, no correction has been forthcoming. He needs to clear the air immediately,” added Karpal. |
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Veteran DAP leaders chide Deputy CM II for showing disrespect
December 9, 2011, The Star, By S. ARULLDAS
BUTTERWORTH: Veteran DAP leaders in Penang have asked the party leadership to take disciplinary action against Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy for calling national chairman Karpal Singh “godfather”.
Datuk Keramat vice-chairman A. Krishnan, 70, said the term used was disrespectful to senior party leaders.
“We want Dr Ramasamy to apologise to Karpal for the remark. If he fails then the party should take disciplinary action against him.
“He has never shown any respect to senior leaders who have made the party what it is today,” he said at his house last night.
The deputy CM and Karpal have been involved in a spat over the list of candidates for the next general election.
Also present were Taman Inderawasih branch chairman M. Yoganathan, 61, Lintang Delima branch treasurer D. Kandasamy, 45, Jalan Kulim branch chairman P. Thiagarajan, 56, and Jalan Tembikai branch chairman K. Gunabalan, 58.
Meanwhile, Bagan Luar branch chairman G. Asoghan accused Dr Ramasamy of “nurturing cronies” and “sidelining senior state leaders” in the party.
He criticised Dr Ramasamy’s decision to appoint “a crony” as the executive director of the Hindu Endowment Board.
“There was no interview and the person is receiving a monthly salary of RM5,000,” Asoghan said.
He added that Dr Ramasamy had also refused to recognise the Indian bureau formed to tackle problems affecting the community.
Asoghan said a group of leaders had met Karpal on Dec 3 over their unhappiness with Dr Ramasamy.
It is learnt that among the issues brought up were Dr Ramasamy’s decision to recommend a “Datukship” for a former MIC leader who had been an ardent critic of the DAP as well as the allocation of two corner lot houses to two PKR leaders in Kampung Buah Pala.
Meanwhile, Dr Ramasamy’s personal assistant M. Satees Kumar tweeted about the misdeeds committed by two DAP assemblymen.
He claimed that one was forced to step down from a board and had been paid a commission by a developer.
Another assemblyman, he claimed, had paid his personal driver by using state funds.
Friday December 9, 2011
Gag order issued over ‘godfather-warlord’ row
The Star, Dec 09 --
GEORGE TOWN: Dr P. Ramasamy has been issued a gag order over the “godfather-warlord” squabble in the DAP.
The Penang Deputy Chief Minister II said he had been told not to make any more comments on the issue but refused to say who told him to shut up.
Earlier in the day, however, Dr Ramasamy had attacked fellow party member R.S.N. Rayer, who demanded that he apologise to DAP national chairman Karpal Singh for allegedly referring to senior party leaders as “godfathers”.
Rayer, who is Seri Delima assemblyman, had warned on Wednesday that “all hell will break loose” at the Penang DAP convention on Sunday if Dr Ramasamy did not retract his statement.
A news portal had quoted Dr Ramasamy, who is also Penang DAP deputy chairman, as saying Rayer had “stooped so low” as to condemn him over a remark about godfathers just to curry favour with Karpal.
“It is this kind of personality cult and politics of intimidation that must be eradicated from the DAP,” said Dr Ramasamy, who is Prai assemblyman and Batu Kawan MP.
He also denied an allegation by Rayer that he had begged Karpal to give him the Penang DCM post.
He said the battle for more Indian representation in the state government had taken place in the central executive committee (CEC) after the 2008 polls.
“When I talked to him (Karpal) about the DCM post for an Indian, I did not mean it for myself. I asked it for the Indian community,” Dr Ramasamy said.
The quarrel between the two men was over a purported leak by Dr Ramasamy over several candidates said to be either shortlisted for the next general election or left out.
Karpal retaliated by saying the party would not tolerate warlords who push for any person to be fielded as election candidates.
Dr Ramasamy, in return, said DAP should get rid not only of warlords but also the godfathers.
Row worsens as DAP men blast Ramasamy
INDIAN DAP leaders in Penang are upset with Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy's description of party elders as "godfathers".
DAP assemblymen see his statement as "a thinly veiled attack" against national chairman Karpal Singh and they have come out in full force to hit back at Ramasamy.
Ramasamy, who is also DAP deputy secretary-general and Penang DAP deputy chairman, has been asked to apologise to Karpal and retract the "godfather" statement, which was widely reported in opposition-linked news portals.
Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer said "all hell will break loose" at the state convention this Sunday if Ramasamy did not apologise.
He said Ramasamy had also better be prepared to "answer some questions" if the retraction and apology were not forthcoming.
Rayer said Ramasamy should not be ungrateful and he must know his place when he talked about Karpal.
"I would like to remind him how he had begged Karpal to talk to Lim Guan Eng and make him (Ramasamy) the deputy chief minister II when Pakatan Rakyat took control of Penang. I was privy to the whole thing and saw how Ramasamy had pleaded with Karpal at Penang Hospital then... there were also others who witnessed the whole drama of how Ramasamy begged."
He said it was because of Karpal that Ramasamy, an academic- turned-politician, was where he was today.
The fiery politician also disclosed that Ramasamy had been trying to win him over. He said Ramasamy's supporters had made repeated attempts to contact him when they learnt that he was going to spill the beans to the press yesterday.
"Karpal is the most respected leader in the party," Rayer said, adding he was making the attack against Ramasamy as the sacrifices of leaders like Karpal must never be belittled.
He said Ramasamy's latest attempt to push his "cronies" to be fielded as candidates was the last straw and this had angered many party supporters.
"He is naming people who were nowhere to be seen in any of the party activities before this.
"Suddenly, he is acting like a warlord and making announcements that these people who are close to him will be fielded."
Rayer's views were also supported by Bagan Dalam assemblyman A. Tanasekharan, who is Bagan division deputy chairman.
Ramasamy has found himself under the spotlight following a report in the Tamil newspaper Makkal Osai on Nov 28.
The newspaper had quoted him as saying that the party will field three women -- D. Kamachi, P. Kasturi (daughter of the late DAP stalwart P. Patto) and lawyer, K. Mangaleswari.
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