“Ramanan deserves Hassan Karim’s yelling for his rampant sycophancy, below-the-belt punch of Rafizi”

“Ramanan deserves Hassan Karim’s yelling for his rampant sycophancy, below-the-belt punch of Rafizi”

By Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy
06/04/2026

SUNDAY’s (April 5) clash between PKR vice-president Datuk Seri R. Ramanan and Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim at the Johor state PKR convention in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was not a simple clash of personalities.


There was no reason for Ramanan – Anwar’s “blue-eyed boy” – to use the occasion to lambast PKR’s former deputy president and Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli.


One of the few principled politicians in the party, Hassan could not remain as a spectator as Ramanan levelled his criticism against Rafizi for working against the party.

Hassan rightly stood up to oppose Ramanan not to use the convention to mount personal attacks against Rafizi who was not present in the convention.


Hassan challenged him for debate knowing very well that sycophants like Ramanan who was more bent in seeking approvals from Anwar would not want to engage in a public debate.


Measure of sycophancy

Anyway, the clash between the two was rather symbolic of the state of affairs within the party. PKR is no more the same party when it came to power. Obsession with power and the need to stay in power has obliterated the ideals of the party.

Today, the government headed by PKR’s president Anwar has abandoned its so-called reform agenda.

The move away from reforms has meant that PKR has to rely, among others, on sycophancy to sustain the party and its leaders in power.

Ramanan who was the former MIC treasurer-general abandoned the party under mysterious circumstances to join the PKR.

In PKR, his rapid rise to power was based on blind loyalty to Anwar. He became the Sungai Buluh MP in the last general election and was recently appointed as the Human Resources Minister.

The higher he rises in the party, the more sycophancy is expected of him.

His recent attack against Rafizi in the presence of Anwar was not so much to undermine Rafizi but to demonstrate his extreme sycophantic loyalty to Anwar.


Boosting PMX’s popularity

Anwar is becoming more and more unpopular in the country for not translating the promises of reforms into tangible actions.

Despite the propaganda of economic fundamentals, the recent surge in oil prices as result of the war in the Gulf has caused financial difficulties for ordinary people in the country.

Anwar’s position is not politically stable for he has nothing to announce that the people might be proud of.

The recent Johor state PKR convention was something timely for the expression of sycophancy of the highest degree.

Without saying, with his past controversies, Ramanan’s uncalled for attacks against Rafizi and others speak volumes of the state of political affairs in the party.

Political Commentary Platform

Anwar has nothing to rely on except to use the services of sycophants to prop him. But Hassan is no ordinary individual given he has been critical of the past governments for decades.

Although he is in PKR which is the core ruling coalition in the Madani government, he gives his views without fear or favour.

Ramanan should not have criticised Rafizi in his absence – such was a below the belt punch that irked Hassan who rose in defence of Rafizi.

Anwar might be pleased with Ramanan as his sycophants are getting lesser and lesser nowadays. – April 6, 2026



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