Responding to Surendran’s claim yesterday that his recent attacks were merely “rants”, Gobalakrishnan demanded that the newly appointed vice-president furnished proof that he had voted in the party’s recent polls by producing three witnesses.
Padang Serai MP also sarcastically suggested that PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim could likely manipulate the party’s electoral roll to back Surendran.
“I know there are means to slot his name or any name in the voters list if Anwar wishes to do so,” he said.
The Padang Serai MP claimed that Surendran had never voted in any PKR division or attended any divisional meetings during the party elections last month.
“It makes me wonder how Mr Surendran was appointed when he was not even a member of the party. I question his integrity when he speaks about the PKR election.
“His name doesn’t appear in the voters list of the Lembah Pantai cabang (division) where he claims to be a member or any other cabang in the country.
“Can he show proof of where he voted or at least produce three witnesses who have seen him voting or at least attending the divisional meetings?,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan’s statement today is in clear contradiction of his party leadership’s stand on the matter.
Yesterday, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that Surendran was a registered member with the PKR Lembah Pantai division.
The division is led by Lembah Pantai MP and newly-elected vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, who is also Anwar’s daughter.
On Twitter yesterday, Anwar responded to the issue by defending the party’s surprising decision to appoint Surendran into a vice-president’s post by calling the civil rights lawyer “qualified” and “credible”.
Surendran has also responded to Gobalakrishnan’s claims by accusing the outspoken lawmaker of “ranting”, adding that he did not view the attacks as a cause for concern.
But Gobalakrishnan ignored the leaders today and continued to accuse Anwar of practicing favouritism in the party and of ignoring the concerns of the Indian community.
“My statements are not vague, baseless or unproductive. I do not have any personal agenda or gain in all that I do.
“I have made many sacrifices in my crusade to improve the lives of Malaysians. I always strive for justice for all especially the downtrodden Indian community,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan spoke again on the closure of the Sivan Temple on Bukit Gasing, which he claimed had been Anwar’s doing, and the plight of workers in the Coalfield Estate in Sungai Buloh.
“Anwar closed the temple within 100 days of Pakatan Rakyat coming into power. Anwar’s strife was that the temple had non – Indian features i.e. the Dragon fencing.
“This is absurd as it is up to the Indians if they want to accept it, by having dragon fence it doesn’t make the Indian temple any lesser or a Hindu a Christian,” he claimed.
He then challenged Surendran, as a civil rights lawyer, to take up the issue by facilitating the reopening of the temple.
On the Coalfields Estate, Gobalakrishnan called on the Selangor PR government to allocate land for its displaced families to farm on.
“All there are within the powers of the Menteri Besar (Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim).
“As a vice-president and as he has pledged to look into the problems faced by Indians, Mr Surendran should urge the Mentri Besar to help these poor families,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan added that Anwar had always ignored the plight of the Indian community, pointing out that in the last 12 years, the leader had only concentrated on strengthening the Malay and Chinese leadership in PKR.
“But the Indians were neglected and kept at distance. Only those who were close to him were appointed to party posts.
“There must be due consideration given to Indian community in the party as they make up about 40 per cent of the members. It is very visible that it is a divide and rule practise by Anwar,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan also urged Surendran to contact him directly if he wanted proof of his allegations against the leadership.
The party is discuss taking possible disciplinary action against the rebel MP when its political bureau meeting reconvenes next month. - Malaysian Insider
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.