Anti-Xavier group threatens protests
According to Dr Xavier Jeyakumar’s detractors, PKR had received 29 memorandums of his wrongdoings and mismanagement during his tenure as state exco.
B Nantha Kumar, FMT
A large group of PKR Indian leaders today unanimously rejected the party’s decision to submit Sri Andalas assemblyman Dr Xavier Jeyakumar’s name for executive councillor position in the Selangor state administration.
They’re also planning for a series of protests against PKR if Jeyakumar gets the nod for a second term as an exco member.
In the last state cabinet, Jeyakumar helmed the Health, Estate Workers, Poverty and Caring Government portfolio.
“We were told that Jeyakumar’s name is in the PKR’s exco list for a second term which really shocked the Pakatan Indian leaders in Selangor,” said Dr S Streram from Petaling Jaya Selatan PKR division.
Speaking to reporters here, Streram added: “We are here today and want to send a strong message to PKR’s top leadership not to pick Jeyakumar for the exco post.”
Also present were several PKR grassroots leaders such as ‘OMS’ P Thiagarajan, who is a close ally to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, P Krishnasamy (Klang), S Murali (Puchong), M Jayabalan (Lembah Pantai), Anthony Dass (Kota Raja), S Balan (Subang), P Maniam (Hulu Selangor) and Dr Neduchelian from Kapar.
Streram said if the PKR leadership was adamant about pushing ahead with Jeyakumar, then they should be prepared to face massive protests.
“We are not threatening the party, but we want the leaders to listen to our suggestions,” said Streram.
He said there was a general consensus among PKR Indian leaders to have DAP’s V Ganapathi Rao as the Selangor exco for Indian affairs.
“We Selangor Indians are disappointed with Jeyakumar’s quality of leadership. Apart from being a ‘postman’ on delivering Tamil schools allocations, he has done nothing for the Indian community,” said Streram, adding that Jeyakumar had failed to empower the Indians in Selangor.
29 memorandums of wrongdoings
He said, on the other hand, Ganapathi Rao, a Hindraf activist and former ISA detainee, was well aware of the real situation of Selangor Indians.
Sharing Streram’s view, Murali and Anthony Dass claimed that so far PKR had received 29 memorandums of alleged wrongdoings and mismanagement on Jeyakumar during his tenure as state exco.