Where next for PPP's Murugiah?
Humayun KabirPublished: May 11, 2009 3:06 AM | Updated: May 11, 2009 4:59 AM
PPP supreme council member T Murugiah, who is set to be sacked from his party, could well join MIC or Gerakan to keep his post as deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
PPP supreme council member T Murugiah, who is set to be sacked from his party, could well join MIC or Gerakan to keep his post as deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
PPP president M Kayveas, who hinted at this, said he has received reports that Murugiah will either challenge him for the party leadership or resign as party member after meeting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak tomorrow.
However, Kayveas (left) said the question of Murugiah challenging him for the presidency does not arise because the latter’s Silibin branch had been deregistered in 2006.
The party constitution states that a presidential candidate must have been a member for at least seven years and be nominated by at least 10 divisions.
Therefore Murugiah is only left with the option of resigning from the PPP and joining other Barisan Nasional parties, said Kayveas.
PPP, though, may yet stop him from keeping his cabinet post by demanding it back for another member.
Last Saturday, PPP supreme council decided to sack Murugiah for working against the party. The axe may fall as early as Saturday on Murugiah’s political career, rather than during the party elections on June 7.
Kayveas in a telephone interview last night, denied speculation that it was jealousy on his part that had ended Murugiah’s political career, purportedly to get a ministerial post for himself.
Kayveas shot back: “Where is the question of jealousy when I had to practically beg to Pak Lah (former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) for the deputy minister’s post for him (Murugiah, right)?
“I could have easily asked for a ministerial post for myself from Datuk Seri Najib (Abdul Razak). Instead I recommended that Murugiah should get back his deputy minister’s post.
“Murugiah is not carrying out his duties efficiently...We have received six complaints of ‘money politics’ against him. This is something of a new culture that the party never had. I have instructed the affected party divisions to lodge separate (corruption) reports against him.”
Kayveas also said it does not make sense for Murugiah to meet Najib as the issue is an internal matter for the party to resolve.
‘Verbal abuse’
On May 4, Murugiah had allegedly issued a threat to Kayveas through the party’s lawyer by saying: “Advise your president that I shall use my( deputy minister’s) powers to get the PPP deregistered by the Registrar of Societies. I shall fix up your president with the ACA (now the MACC).”
Kayveas had told a party function in Ipoh on May 6 that he had received a verbal threat from a possible candidate from Perak for the president’s post. He did not name the person.
He claimed that Murugiah had, the following day, verbally abused the party’s lawyer for informing Kayveas about the threat.
Kayveas said that the supreme council which met on May 9 had given Murugiah a chance to explain his actions but he did not turn up for the meeting - 43 of the 45 council members passed a resolution that Murugiah should be sacked as a member.
The supreme council is due to meet again this Saturday, when it is likely to expedite Murugiah’s sacking.
PPP president M Kayveas, who hinted at this, said he has received reports that Murugiah will either challenge him for the party leadership or resign as party member after meeting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak tomorrow.
However, Kayveas (left) said the question of Murugiah challenging him for the presidency does not arise because the latter’s Silibin branch had been deregistered in 2006.The party constitution states that a presidential candidate must have been a member for at least seven years and be nominated by at least 10 divisions.
Therefore Murugiah is only left with the option of resigning from the PPP and joining other Barisan Nasional parties, said Kayveas.
PPP, though, may yet stop him from keeping his cabinet post by demanding it back for another member.
Last Saturday, PPP supreme council decided to sack Murugiah for working against the party. The axe may fall as early as Saturday on Murugiah’s political career, rather than during the party elections on June 7.
Kayveas in a telephone interview last night, denied speculation that it was jealousy on his part that had ended Murugiah’s political career, purportedly to get a ministerial post for himself.
Kayveas shot back: “Where is the question of jealousy when I had to practically beg to Pak Lah (former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) for the deputy minister’s post for him (Murugiah, right)?“I could have easily asked for a ministerial post for myself from Datuk Seri Najib (Abdul Razak). Instead I recommended that Murugiah should get back his deputy minister’s post.
“Murugiah is not carrying out his duties efficiently...We have received six complaints of ‘money politics’ against him. This is something of a new culture that the party never had. I have instructed the affected party divisions to lodge separate (corruption) reports against him.”
Kayveas also said it does not make sense for Murugiah to meet Najib as the issue is an internal matter for the party to resolve.
‘Verbal abuse’
On May 4, Murugiah had allegedly issued a threat to Kayveas through the party’s lawyer by saying: “Advise your president that I shall use my( deputy minister’s) powers to get the PPP deregistered by the Registrar of Societies. I shall fix up your president with the ACA (now the MACC).”
Kayveas had told a party function in Ipoh on May 6 that he had received a verbal threat from a possible candidate from Perak for the president’s post. He did not name the person.
He claimed that Murugiah had, the following day, verbally abused the party’s lawyer for informing Kayveas about the threat.
Kayveas said that the supreme council which met on May 9 had given Murugiah a chance to explain his actions but he did not turn up for the meeting - 43 of the 45 council members passed a resolution that Murugiah should be sacked as a member.
The supreme council is due to meet again this Saturday, when it is likely to expedite Murugiah’s sacking.
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