Ramsamy demands actual details of Sivakumar’s removal as HR minister from DAP

Ramsamy demands actual details of Sivakumar’s removal as HR minister from DAP

By Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy

COULD the DAP be transparent and responsible about why former human resource minister V. Sivakumar was removed from his ministerial post?

If the party did not recommend for his removal, what were the reasons? Had these anything to do with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) probe against him and his close aides in the ministry?

Even though the MACC had no cause of action against him for the alleged corruption involving the recruitment of foreign workers, three of his aides were booted out. If there was a case, why didn’t the MACC charge them in the court of the law?

I wonder whether the MACC is functioning as an independent body or on the behest of the government in power – in this case, the Madani government?

However, if Sivakumar was not performing on the job, then it is a different matter altogether. The public expects full details of the reasons for his removal.

Perhaps the holier than thou DAP can emerge from the shadows to give details of Sivakumar’s performance or non-performance.

Unfair dismissal?

DAP simply cannot say that there were complaints about his performance. There have been cases of complaints against certain DAP leaders but the party preferred to remain silent on them.

Details are needed – not sweeping them under the carpet. Surely, Sivakumar was not the only non-performing minister. There were others more incompetent but the government or Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim decided to observe the golden silence on them. Why?

Although UMNO had more share of government posts including ministers, their performance was not up to the mark. They were there to beef up the government to stay in power.

If Anwar can overlook the serious corruption allegations against UMNO leaders, then what is so great about his administration?

Whether he was competent or otherwise, Sivakumar was a victim of political circumstances. How come the government failed to apply a similar yardstick against other incompetent ministers?

It was unfortunate that Sivakumar was alone in the wilderness. Even his warlords in DAP failed to come to his rescue. Perhaps these warlords from Perak realised that Sivakumar was a serious liability not worthy of being rescued.

In the final analysis, it is not above the removal of Sivakumar but about the sad and tragic plight of numerically small communities represented in the DAP and PKR like the Indians.

Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy during his capacity as former Penang chief minister II


Indians are clearly the victims of the recent cabinet reshuffle. The multi-racial parties in Pakatan Harapan (PH) do one thing for public consumption but they use the idea of multi-racialism to purse certain narrow interests.


At least Tun M has the decency

Even if Sivakumar was removed, DAP or Anwar could have appointed another Indian Tamil to be a minister. It is not that the Indian community lacks talents or competent individuals.

However, the servility or the obsequiousness of the Indian leaders in PH to their non-Indian patrons has made it difficult for Indians to be respected and accorded the dignity they deserve.

The very fact that Anwar did not care to appoint even one Indian Tamil to be a cabinet minister reflects his attitude towards the Indian community. A community that stood thick and thin with him and his reformist movement.

In short, Anwar has betrayed the Indians whose ancestors built the country on the basis of their sweat and blood.

Once I was very critical of former twice PM Dr Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed for his racial extremism. Despite this, Dr Mahathir should be appreciated for appointing three Indian ministers in the cabinet in 2018.

These ministers could not function independently but Dr Mahathir had the presence of mind and independence to appoint ministers. However, this is very unlike the present situation where Anwar is playing politics in the non-appointment of Indian Tamils as ministers.

I was critical of Dr Mahathir for blocking Anwar back then. But looking at the political scene in Malaysia today, I am wondering whether DR Mahathir was right in not allowing Anwar to become the PM? – Dec 18, 2023



Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the Urimai (United Rights of Malaysian Party) Interim Council.