Selangor exco man’s post in jeopardy

Dr A Xavier Jeyakumar is expected to be charged with allegedly assaulting a former PKR member at a controversial divisional polls last year.

PETALING JAYA: Selangor executive councillor Dr A Xavier Jeyakumar’s position is in jeopardy following allegations that he assaulted a former PKR member during the Kota Raja PKR division elections last year.

Sources told FMT that the police had recently submitted their investigation papers – nine months after the alleged incident – to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action.

It is reliably learnt that the police had recommended Jeyakumar be charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code for the alleged offence. A person charged under this section can be jailed for not more than seven years or fined or caned if found guilty.

If Jeyakumar is convicted, he stands to lose his exco post as the Federal Constitution stipulates that an assemblyman would be disqualified if he is sentenced to a jail term of more than a year or
fined not less than RM2,000.

Jeyakumar, who is also the Seri Andalas assemblyman, is alleged to have assaulted former PKR member KS Kottapan during voting at the party’s divisional meeting in September 2010.

The polls was mired in controversy after Jeyakumar was accused of allegedly using dirty tactics to win the division chairman’s post.

The election results were announced about 66 hours after the ballots were cast.

“Since this is a high-profile case involving a politician, the police have sent the file to the Attorney-General’s Chambers. The police feel that they have a strong case against Jeyakumar,” said a source.

Video footage of fracas

The Kota Raja PKR division polls erupted into a fracas after Jeyakumar’s rivals accused the party election steering committee and its secretariat of siding with him in running the election.

Jeyakumar declared himself the winner of the election, even before the official announcement from the committee.

Kottapan had sent several protests letters to the PKR leadership claiming that the election was tainted. He had also sought for the party to declare the division polls null and void.

Sources also provided FMT with photographs allegedly showing Jeyakumar’s supporters telling voters to vote for him during balloting.

FMT had also received a video footage of the fracas at the PKR Kota Raja division polls.

The 3.41-second video footage showed division incumbent Jeyakumar trying to confront V Ayasamy, who was contesting for the vice-president’s post, at the polling venue.

The footage contradicts Jeyakumar’s press statement that he was nowhere near any rival candidate . Attached is the video footage made available to FMT.