Please don’t ostracise Prof Ramasamy

After the general election and when Pakatan Harapan came into power, the voices calling for Zakir's deportation have suddenly become very subdued.

COMMENT

It looks like Ramasamy’s colleagues in DAP, especially those who have been appointed ministers, are throwing Ramasamy to a pack of wolves.

By TK Chua

I am writing this piece out of concern for fairness and justice — not because Prof P Ramasamy, the deputy chief minister of Penang, is incapable of defending himself.

Before Pakatan Harapan (PH) came into power at the federal level, many PH politicians, especially those from DAP, PKR and Hindraf, had been vocal in their criticism of Zakir Naik.

Some of them even accused the previous federal government of sheltering and protecting Naik from extradition, purportedly sought by India.

After the general election, and when PH came to power, suddenly the voices calling for Naik’s deportation have become very subdued.

Only Ramasamy is left carrying the flag. As far as I know, he wanted confirmation whether there was indeed an extradition order from India.

Perhaps because he was adamant, suddenly the work he was involved in more than a decade ago has come into the limelight. Suddenly, there are allegations that he had supported terrorist movements/groups such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

My question is why the sudden accusations against Ramasamy now? If he was involved in terrorist movements, I am quite sure the Malaysian police would have asked him to explain a long time ago.

Is this a counter-attack to silence all voices against Naik?

I am saddened by Ramasamy’s colleagues in DAP, especially those who have been appointed ministers. It is like they are throwing Ramasamy to a pack of wolves.

Instead of talking about Naik’s extradition, Ramasamy must now defend himself on his purported involvement in terrorist activities.

Be that as it may, I hope Ramasamy will explain to the authorities as clearly and as comprehensively as possible  the accusations levelled at him.

In the meantime, while the Malaysian police have confirmed that there was no extradition request from India, I hope all other interested parties, such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Indian authorities will also confirm the same.

TK Chua is an FMT reader.