Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim today paid tribute to veteran lawyer T Rajamoorthy, who passed away yesterday.
He was 80 years old.
“Yesterday, I received news from (former PKR deputy president) Syed Husin Ali that our good friend Rajamoorthy had died at 4am.
“I wasn't too surprised but suddenly felt sad…the loss of someone valuable. A good comrade has left us,” he said.
Hailing Rajamoorthy as a brave defender of those victimised by the now defunct Internal Security Act (ISA), Hassan said many people today, especially the younger generation, might not know the former’s contribution to the country.
The deceased, he added, served as a central committee member of then-Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) for years.
“But to politicians and activists, especially long-time members of PRM, Rajamoorthy is highly respected as a leader and thinker.
“When PRM was in difficulties, our spirits were weak and party leaders got detained under the ISA, Rajamoorthy was loyal and filled with confidence and perseverance.
“He would attend every central committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur or Petaling Jaya by taking a flight from Penang. Rajamoorthy also never missed any of the party’s national congress.
“When there is a debate, Rajamoorthy, who is often silent, will speak up and give his clear, rational and forward-looking view as a solution,’ the PKR MP said.
Syed Husin, Hassan and Rajamoorthy were all prominent office bearers of the left-leaning PRM, prior to its merger with then-Parti Keadilan Nasional to form PKR in 2004.
Reminiscing the past, Hassan said Rajamoorthy stood firm during Malaysia’s trying times when ISA was often utilised to silence critics – between 1963 and 1969, 1974, 1976 and during Operasi Lalang in 1988.
“Many people got detained without trial including PRM leaders such as Ahmad Boestamam, Kassim Ahmad, Syed Husin, Hasnul Hadi, Kampo Radjo and Tajuddin Kahar and many others until the party was paralysed.
“Rajamoorthy witnessed it all. He helped ISA prisoners and their families as a lawyer.
“He also acted as a thinker and became a writer for PRM’s newspaper.
“Until the end of his life, Rajamoorthy devoted a lot of his energy and time in the field of publishing patriotic and progressive ideas in the NGO, Third World Network as an expert in international law,” said Hassan.
PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan also mourned the passing of Rajamoorthy.
“A staunch socialist since his school days, Rajamoorthy gave his best years in the 1970s as a PSRM member (PRM was known as Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia in the 1970s).
“He was the editor of the newsletter Mimbar Sosialis, editor of Third World Resurgence since 2001 and editor for PSM’s Socialist Perspective,” said Arutchelvan. - Mkini
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