Confusion over Manikavasagam’s status

He must do this before it's too late, says PKR's Johari Abdul on the former's suspension.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Former Kapar MP S Manikavasagam must respond to the show cause letter given to him by the PKR disciplinary board before further action is taken against him.

PKR central elections committee (JPP) chairman Johari Abdul told FMT: “He must swiftly respond to the show cause letter before it’s too late”.

However, Johari’s statement was queer since Manikasagam, also known as Mike, was already suspended from the party by the PKR political bureau.

Manikavasagam had his party membership suspended for going to the media to voice out his dissatisfaction over the party polls.

The suspension disqualifies him from contesting in the ongoing party polls.

PKR disciplinary board chairman Tan Kee Kwong announced through a press statement last week that Manikavasagam had violated Article B7 of the party’s election code, which says: “Any dispute regarding the party election should not be brought to the media or made public.”

News reports had quoted Manikavasagam as saying that his opponent in the Kuala Selangor divisional election, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, was involved in money politics.

Following Manikavasagam suspension from the party and the party polls, Khalid had no challenger for the division’s top post.

Troublemakers

On non-members who had allegedly caused the ruckus during the PKR polls, Johari said that investigations have found there was a pattern, where ballot boxes were smashed just after lunch hour.

Johari said members and non-members were also differentiated based on shirt colour.

“Our members usually wear the party’s official colour which is sky blue. There was a pattern of differentcolours these non-members wore,” he said, not mentioning what the colours were.

“Through the hearing for objections, we will gather more information and we will ensure members whowere responsible be expelled from the party immediately”.

When asked whether those involved were paid to cause a ruckus, Johari said not all were paid.

“Some were probably just ecstatic at the idea of voting that they unconsciously kicked ballot boxes, while some probably kicked the ballot boxes in the hope for a re-election.

“We will ensure that closed-circuit television (CCTV) will be used in the next party elections,” he said.

PKR de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim last week confirmed that it was non-party members who had caused chaos in polling centres based on video and photographic evidence.