P Ramasamy: running to lose

FMT:

P Ramasamy: running to lose

‘Tell them I will be back,’ the Indian community’s biggest political name in recent years said.

Over tea with a friend on Aug 12, a wide-ranging conversation about the six state elections brought up a discussion of erstwhile Penang deputy chief minister II, P Ramasamy.

Dropped from contesting for another term as Perai assemblyman, the professor, one of the country’s more colourful politicians in recent years, was about to be reduced to the status of a regular citizen. For sure, that would be a loss to the Indian community.

My observation of Ramasamy is that he appears to vibe differently among the different races in the country.

The Malays do not view him favourably. Ramasamy, to them, has made a name for himself by boldly speaking up against their rights and interests.

The Chinese, on the other hand, either appear to be ignorant of, or disinterested by him. My Chinese buddy said bluntly: “I don’t know him, man. The only reason I know him at all is because you talk about him.”

I do tend to talk about Ramasamy more than I should. He strikes me as a “Thalaivar” (superstar) sort of figure to the Indians in this country. Upper-class Indians might object to that description, but to everyone else, Ramasamy is the Indian community’s most prominent leader since Samy Vellu.

In fact, he is the one and only Indian political figure who trends in the national consciousness alongside the likes of Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Muhyiddin Yassin, Lim Guan Eng and Loke Siew Fook.

Realising that we may not see or hear of him again after Aug 12, I decided to contact the professor. I began my text message to him by suggesting that we might not see him again.

“As arguably, the paramount leader of the Indians in the country, is there something you would like to tell (the community) before you leave,” I asked.

Ramasamy’s reply was defiant: “Sorry to disappoint you. Just because I quit DAP and am not standing for election, this is not the end of my career or representation of Indians in the country.”

The Indian in me liked his answer. We Indians may lose, but we do not surrender easily.

I longed for a photo opportunity with him. My mind drew back to when I met the late Samy Vellu in Sungai Petani many years ago. Until this day, I regret taking a photo of him instead of with him. I was determined not to repeat my mistake with Ramasamy.

Our meeting in Penang a couple of days later began in the most un-Indian-like fashion. It started 20 minutes earlier than scheduled.

I must say his demeanour surprised me and left me a tad disappointed. I was expecting a “fire and brimstone” character, one who dares to take on the likes of Sanusi Nor and Zakir Naik. Instead, I met a mild-mannered and scholarly-looking academic, who even quoted Samuel Coleridge in conversation with me.

The professor did not disappoint when the subject of his departure from DAP came up.

Like Kua Kia Soong and Ronnie Liu, he is adamant that DAP today is not the party he joined. That, he said, was at the heart of the dispute which led to his departure last week.

I suggested that it may be because he joined the party when it was in the opposition, but DAP today is the largest component of the ruling coalition.

“Positions can change, but principles must remain the same,” he retorted.

The biggest problem with DAP today, according to him, was that it no longer champions the vulnerable and marginalised. Instead, the party jostles for position with those in power.

“Every time I say something, they will stifle me by asking me to be patient and wait for the right time,” he said with the look of annoyance.

I decided to prod a little bit more.

“Did you consider that it might not be the right time to say things you were saying,” I asked. “What did you expect? Did you expect them to change everything in one day?”

“When is the right time to speak about injustice? Tell me? When? It is always inconvenient to talk about an injustice, ” he bellowed, and for an instant, I caught a glimpse of the Ramasamy that Zakir Naik and Sanusi must have encountered.

Satisfied, that I had seen what I had come to see, I took that picture with him and, not long after, got ready to leave.

“What should I tell people about what you are going to do after this, Prof, ” I asked before I left.

“Tell them I will be back. Tell them that I am talking with friends, and once I have everything sorted out, I will be back.

“Tell them that leaving DAP gives me a golden opportunity to take up Malaysian matters at the national level more effectively and comprehensively.

“It will take me away from the narrow confines of DAP, which has shamelessly abandoned the concept of ‘Malaysian Malaysia’.

“As long as I am healthy and have a vibrant mind, I will continue my quest for justice relentlessly.”

“Justice for who?” I asked.

“Justice for people like the Orang Asli,” he said.

“And the Indians?” I asked.

“Of course, the Indians, too,” he replied.

“Are you going to start an Indian party or a multiracial party?” I asked.

“A Malaysian party or maybe a Malaysian NGO that will speak for the marginalised, including marginalised Indians,” he said.

Evidently, although the professor has left DAP, DAP still hasn’t fully left the professor.

Earlier in the interview, Ramasamy told me the story of how he entered into politics for the first time.

“It was 2008, and that was my first time standing for elections.

“They (DAP) gave me two seats, a parliamentary seat in Batu Kawan and a state seat in Perai, because I was running against the then chief minister Koh Tsu Koon in Batu Kawan. They thought that if I lose Batu Kawan, at least I will still have Perai to hold on to.

“Everybody was so sure that I was going to lose Batu Kawan. Some fixers even asked me to give up the Batu Kawan seat. They said if I co-operate, they will reciprocate my gesture by fixing it so that I will win the Perai seat easily.

“You know what I told them to refuse their offer,” he asked.

“What?” I replied.

“I told them: ‘It doesn’t matter to me. I am running to lose anyway’.”

Ramasamy would go on to create one of the biggest upsets in the 2008 election by defeating Koh for the Batu Kawan seat.

P Ramasamy brought down a giant by running to lose. He has lost well.