PPP president M Kayveas today reminded former supreme council member T Murugiah that he should appeal against his sacking before thinking of going for presidency.

kayveas ppp pc 120308 straight Kayveas was responding to Murugiah’s call for a “straight fight” for the presidency in the party's upcoming polls on June 6.

“He wants the party de-registered and that is the act of a traitor... if he is a sacked member and he has not appealed (against the decision), how then does a sack member hope to contest,” asked Kayveas.

Last week, Kayveas informed reporters after the party's supreme council meeting that Murugiah and six others have been expelled.

The six others, who are known to be close allies of Murugiah, are Selayang division chief K Tanggaraju, PPP youth exco chief S Kanesan, S Saravanan, M Jeyaratnam and former supreme council members R Rajandran and NA Shanmuganathan.

PPP's internal crisis, including the bitter break-off between Kayveas and Murugiah, made headlines early this month after Kayveas announced that the party is considering to sack Murugiah, its only member with a ministerial position.

Kayveas had earlier explained that this was due to Murugiah's absences from party meetings and his refusal to brief the party on decisions made in the cabinet, among other reasons.

Shanmuganathan instigated by Murugiah?

t murugiah However, the key reason Murugiah ( pic, left ) was thrown out was because former supreme council member Shanmuganathan made an allegation that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) is on the verge of de-registering the party for failure to submit its financial and office-bearer records since 2002.

Kayveas claimed Shanmuganathan was instigated by Murugiah to make that statement which had tarnished the party’s image.

“You mean I now forgo all the rules and throw the constitution into the dustbin (so that Murugiah can challenge me?)” he said, when asked if he would let Murugiah stay on until the party polls.

“He (Murugiah) forced the disciplinary committee to take action. When you say you want the party to be de-registered, there is no other way than to sack such traitors,” he reiterated to Malaysiakini.

“We have reacted according to their actions, so I can only react to what he does (but) he is legally entitled to 14 days, under the constitution, to appeal against the decision,” he said.

On the other hand it is not clear whether Murugiah, who was granted the senator's post via the allotment given to the party, has accepted the expulsion or whether he would be appealing to the party's disciplinary board for a review, as he was not available for comment.

Murugiah accuses Kayveas of being a dictator

Nevertheless, Kayveas ridiculed Murugiah's challenge, saying that all this while he denies that he want to challenge (my position), now suddenly he decides that there should be a straight fight..

“First you say you are not challenging, then you stage a drama and ask the party to be de-registered and you accuse the president of doing nothing in the party for 15 years, he said.

He was referring to Murugiah’s statement in the New Straits Times that accused him (Kayveas) of being a dictator for 15 years.

“For 10 years, he (Murugiah) was a councillor and now he is a senator and a deputy minister. If I didn't do my work and if I didn't build the party, how did he managed to be where he is now,” he asked.

“I think he needs to get his bearings correct and the procedures correct... as far as I am concerned, he has got 14 days to appeal, he said.

“I only have one interest, I want to see this party which I brought back from the grave to remain and function for the well-being of this nation,” he asserted.