S Thayaparan
Published: May 17, 2025 8:22 PM
Updated: 10:23 PM
“This is not just about Ramasamy. It is about the integrity of public institutions that must operate free from political influence.”
Published: May 17, 2025 8:22 PM
Updated: 10:23 PM
“This is not just about Ramasamy. It is about the integrity of public institutions that must operate free from political influence.”
- Former DAP MP for Klang Charles Santiago
COMMENT | Truth be told, I was wondering when Madani would strike back against P Ramasamy.
In 2023, when the former Penang deputy chief minister II, in a Facebook post, urged Madani to confront the reality that the civil service has become a racial bastion, placed himself in the crosshairs of not only the ketuanan (supremacist) types but also the “don’t spook the Malays” crowd, which unfortunately make up this federal government.
His racial dialectic was always a problem for DAP, even though the party never had a problem supplicating to the Malay political apparatus. However, when it came to their rights and demonising MCA for failing to represent Chinese expectations in BN, the Indian political operatives had to play dutiful handmaidens to the power brokers in DAP - all while pushing the Bangsa Malaysia kool-aid.
By creating another Indian party, all Ramasamy has done is create another opportunity for his detractors to engage in stereotypical and racial narratives of the Indian community and the leaders who claim to represent them.
In 2023, when the former Penang deputy chief minister II, in a Facebook post, urged Madani to confront the reality that the civil service has become a racial bastion, placed himself in the crosshairs of not only the ketuanan (supremacist) types but also the “don’t spook the Malays” crowd, which unfortunately make up this federal government.
His racial dialectic was always a problem for DAP, even though the party never had a problem supplicating to the Malay political apparatus. However, when it came to their rights and demonising MCA for failing to represent Chinese expectations in BN, the Indian political operatives had to play dutiful handmaidens to the power brokers in DAP - all while pushing the Bangsa Malaysia kool-aid.
By creating another Indian party, all Ramasamy has done is create another opportunity for his detractors to engage in stereotypical and racial narratives of the Indian community and the leaders who claim to represent them.
News of the charges against Ramasamy has brought out the schadenfreude (malicious glee) of some sycophantic DAP supporters, who believe he betrayed the party because he was rejected by the mandarins in power.
This is to be expected, but of course, the idea of reforms, which was supposed to be the raison d’être of DAP and Pakatan Harapan, has been tossed aside in favour of replicating BN-era politics and policies.
I suspect the reason why there is so much vitriol against Ramasamy is because, when he left DAP, he has been saying what many non-Malays believe or, more importantly, feel about politics in this country.
Those of us who knew that the political parties promising reform were merely gaslighting the base got the proof we needed, while those who still wanted to believe in reform were angry that someone who was part of the system was now turning against it for supposedly selfish reasons.
A system of goodies
Indian political operatives are told to be grateful for whatever positions they achieve in DAP. They are reminded by the base that the only reason they are there is because they were voted in by the Chinese community.
Former Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto
You can observe this on news sites and social media. In fact, when Ramasamy left DAP for various reasons - not all of which had to do with the “Indian” community - former Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto said this: “For 15 years, he enjoyed the power, privilege and perks that came with the job and most importantly because of DAP.”
This is not a good line of attack because it exposes the reality that political operatives benefit from a system of goodies and that their effort and drive in politics are geared towards sustaining this position of privilege instead of serving the rakyat.
Non-Malay political operatives cannibalise each other for the benefit of maintaining a place on the Malay uber alles table instead of securing a place under the Malaysian sun, which is the social contract of Malaysian political life.
To go after Ramasamy in such an overt manner means what he’s saying is gaining traction. After all, the Malay uber alles types really do not care what he says or does, because he’s just ammo for them against Harapan.
But for the Harapan component of this government, Ramasamy, even though he speaks of the Indian community, is shining a spotlight on the failures of the coalition to live up to its secular and democratic values.
The fact that he was part of the system means he knows how he helped the system fail and how to course correct it, but of course all this is lost on those DAP supporters who believe that either DAP/Harapan can do no wrong or that voting for DAP/Harapan is the only alternative to the green wave.
Frivolous charges, political persecution
What Madani pinned on Ramasamy is extremely suspect. Ramasamy’s lawyer, as reported in the press, said the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB)’s accounts were audited yearly by the auditor-general and were given clean certificates.
You can observe this on news sites and social media. In fact, when Ramasamy left DAP for various reasons - not all of which had to do with the “Indian” community - former Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto said this: “For 15 years, he enjoyed the power, privilege and perks that came with the job and most importantly because of DAP.”
This is not a good line of attack because it exposes the reality that political operatives benefit from a system of goodies and that their effort and drive in politics are geared towards sustaining this position of privilege instead of serving the rakyat.
Non-Malay political operatives cannibalise each other for the benefit of maintaining a place on the Malay uber alles table instead of securing a place under the Malaysian sun, which is the social contract of Malaysian political life.
To go after Ramasamy in such an overt manner means what he’s saying is gaining traction. After all, the Malay uber alles types really do not care what he says or does, because he’s just ammo for them against Harapan.
But for the Harapan component of this government, Ramasamy, even though he speaks of the Indian community, is shining a spotlight on the failures of the coalition to live up to its secular and democratic values.
The fact that he was part of the system means he knows how he helped the system fail and how to course correct it, but of course all this is lost on those DAP supporters who believe that either DAP/Harapan can do no wrong or that voting for DAP/Harapan is the only alternative to the green wave.
Frivolous charges, political persecution
What Madani pinned on Ramasamy is extremely suspect. Ramasamy’s lawyer, as reported in the press, said the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB)’s accounts were audited yearly by the auditor-general and were given clean certificates.
Former DAP MP for Klang Charles Santiago
He wondered why it took so many years for these “red flags” to be detected. “These charges are frivolous,” he said.
Charles Santiago, a loyal DAP soldier, reminded the peanut gallery, “The allegations levelled against Ramasamy were nothing new and had been brought to MACC’s attention previously.”
This should make any rational Malaysian wonder how much DAP is complicit in this alleged political persecution. Ramasamy, as reported in the press, pointed out that PHEB’s decisions were made collectively by the board. “Every payment had the board’s approval. I’m not the only signatory,” he said.
All of this is made worse by the fact that MACC is probably one of the most untrusted public institutions in this country. Even PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, daughter of the current prime minister and a step away from power, said the contract extension of MACC head honcho Azam Baki was unwelcome.
“The party (PKR) needs to stand for reforms - and we require the support of the rakyat and our members to do this. We ask brave and courageous civil servants and personalities to rise to the occasion,” she said.
There is really no genuine reason to believe that either Nurul Izzah or this government wants to reform the MACC. It has come to a point where nobody is even pretending anymore. This is all about who holds on to power, and the non-Malays are merely the vote bank of a coalition which knows it is imploding.
Going after Ramasamy merely gives him a louder platform and the relevancy he needs to keep stoking agitations in the Indian, but more importantly, the non-Malay community. However, I doubt that the non-Malay community, which is the base of Harapan, is going to abandon the coalition.
Ramasamy, meanwhile, is taking this opportunity to grab the spotlight on what he considers a reckoning of the system he served for decades, but as an opportunity to gather more to his banner.
Speaking to reporters after his first day in court, he said, “Charging me (in court) is actually a blessing because I think Urimai is going to be more popular.”
This remains to be seen.
S THAYAPARAN is commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
Charles Santiago, a loyal DAP soldier, reminded the peanut gallery, “The allegations levelled against Ramasamy were nothing new and had been brought to MACC’s attention previously.”
This should make any rational Malaysian wonder how much DAP is complicit in this alleged political persecution. Ramasamy, as reported in the press, pointed out that PHEB’s decisions were made collectively by the board. “Every payment had the board’s approval. I’m not the only signatory,” he said.
All of this is made worse by the fact that MACC is probably one of the most untrusted public institutions in this country. Even PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, daughter of the current prime minister and a step away from power, said the contract extension of MACC head honcho Azam Baki was unwelcome.
“The party (PKR) needs to stand for reforms - and we require the support of the rakyat and our members to do this. We ask brave and courageous civil servants and personalities to rise to the occasion,” she said.
There is really no genuine reason to believe that either Nurul Izzah or this government wants to reform the MACC. It has come to a point where nobody is even pretending anymore. This is all about who holds on to power, and the non-Malays are merely the vote bank of a coalition which knows it is imploding.
Going after Ramasamy merely gives him a louder platform and the relevancy he needs to keep stoking agitations in the Indian, but more importantly, the non-Malay community. However, I doubt that the non-Malay community, which is the base of Harapan, is going to abandon the coalition.
Ramasamy, meanwhile, is taking this opportunity to grab the spotlight on what he considers a reckoning of the system he served for decades, but as an opportunity to gather more to his banner.
Speaking to reporters after his first day in court, he said, “Charging me (in court) is actually a blessing because I think Urimai is going to be more popular.”
This remains to be seen.
S THAYAPARAN is commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
Palani Ramasamy changed like a chameleon the moment he was not picked to contest GE14.
ReplyDeleteI seriously distrust this dude.
RAMASAMY PLAY THE NAJIB-ANWAR GAME.......UNTIL YOU DIE......SICK, DOCTOR APPOINTMENT, BACK PAIN, MUM SICK....LAWYER SICK....ETC ETC.....JUST SH*T MACC & IGP FOREVER!!+ AG!!
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