Thursday, April 20, 2023

Ramasamy chides Gerakan chairman Marimuthu for blindly idolising Kedah MB Sanusi




Ramasamy chides Gerakan chairman Marimuthu for blindly idolising Kedah MB Sanusi


By Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy





I AM sorry to say that Gerakan is not only politically weak but its leaders have no idea what is going on in the country.

Kedah’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) deputy chief and state Gerakan chairman Marimuthu Selvan makes no sense in terms of how the “poster boy” Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Sanusi Md Nor might bring in more non-Malay support.

According to Marimuthu, Sanusi is a pleasant and approachable leader who has endeared himself to the non-Malays.


Apparently, a recent survey (no details have been given) indicates that the PAS government might attract more non-Malay votes in the coming state election.



In the state polls, Marimuthu has projected that non-Malay support for the PN government might increase to 15%. In the recent parliamentary elections, the PN coalition received only 8% of non-Malay votes.

Apart from Sanusi’s personality, Marimuthu gives no other reasons as to why the non-Malay support for the PAS government might increase.

Marimuthu has conveniently forgotten how two Hindu temples were demolished – one in Alor Setar and the other in Kulim under the administration of Sanusi.

This is not to mention the cancellation of state holiday for Thaipusam a few years back despite protests from the Hindus.

It was under Sanusi the 4D gaming outlets were closed down. Sanusi even went to the extent of asking those interested in gambling to seek their interests in Penang.

This is not to mention other incidents where the PAS-led government was insensitive to the cultural and religious concerns of the non-Malays.

‘Sanusi an anathema to non-Malays’

How then could Sanusi – by creating 4,000 jobs – suddenly endear himself to the non-Malays? I think Marimuthu has lost sight of what is relevant and irrelevant in the murky politics of Kedah.


Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy (Pic credit: New Straits Times)


I don’t understand why he has to indulge in supporting Sanusi who has not done anything for the betterment of the non-Malays.

On the contrary, Sanusi by his actions and pronouncements has alienated the non-Malays to a considerable extent.

Sanusi is an anathema to the non-Malays in the state. Maybe, Marimuthu given the inconsequential nature of Gerakan politics wants to personally ingratiate himself with the PAS leadership in Kedah.

Who knows, he might even be offered a state seat or even a post in the next government.

I don’t think that Gerakan has any hope of returning to its former position in Malaysian politics. Remember, once it was the ruling party in Penang under the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Gerakan has left the fold of BN to embrace the political coalition of PN. However, one thing is constant: Gerakan has switched its sycophancy from UMNO to Bersatu or PAS. – April 20, 2023



Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the DAP state assemblyman for Perai. He is also Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang.


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