THE END of Ramasamy in DAP?

THE DAP disciplinary committee may have cleared Penang deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy of gross misconduct but that decision has certainly not let the rookie politician off the hook. 


Ramasamy's future in the party is certainly bleak now with his wings clipped and ego brought to the ground by the party leadership.

Party insiders revealed that Ramasamy, who has been trying to solidify his position as the head honcho among the Indians in Penang, has been basically ordered to toe the line or face the axe.

The matter was made clear to him when he was summoned to a recent top leadership meeting, attended by the likes of party adviser Lim Kit Siang, chairman Karpal Singh and secretary general Lim Guan Eng.

The secret meeting was held even before the disciplinary committee's decision was announced.

Sources said Ramasamy, who is also Prai assemblyman and Batu Kawan Member of Parliament, was put in his place by party veteran Karpal, who gave the rookie politician an earful and ticked him off for the mess he had created in Penang DAP. 



It was understood that both Kit Siang and his son Guan Eng dared not speak up for Ramasamy as the former professor took Karpal's shelling.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that all of Ramasamy
appointees in the Penang Hindu Endownment Board and the state Appeals Board would be dropped.

They include K Mangaleswari, who is said to have been suddenly elevated to all kinds of positions of power. Three others who were axed were all Ramasamy's cronies in the board.

Mangaleswari made it to the headlines recently when Ramasamy announced her name as one of those likely to be fielded in the coming general elections.

All four could expect to be nothing but just ordinary DAP members who are expected to toe the party line or face expulsion.


Their fate was sealed during a meeting which was also attended by Bagan Dalam assemblyman A Thanasekaran, Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayar and also Karpal's son Jagdeep Singh Deo.

All those in attendance, with the exception of Ramasamy - who could only nod in silence, made the unanimous decision to sack the four.

It was reported recently that the DAP disciplinary committee found no evidence that Ramasamy, who is also Penang DAP deputy chairman, had committed misconduct with regards to a gag order over his spat with Karpal.

DAP disciplinary committee chairman Tan Kok Wai also announced that complaints against Ramasamy for masterminding a demonstration during the party convention on Dec 11 could not be proven.

Tan, who is also Cheras MP, said the party found that Ramasamy was not behind the demonstration as alleged by the assemblymen. 


DAP veterans in Penang have voiced their suspicion that Ramasamy and his small group of supporters could have been used by one or two senior DAP leaders to attack Karpal politically.


Ramasamy's actions of passing cynical and rude remarks against Karpal were seen as a subtle attempt by his 'masters from outside Penang' to gradually push the veteran leader to the sidelines.


Being a rookie politician who may have been baited with greater power and position, Ramasamy failed to differentiate facts from fiction...at least in terms of Karpal's influence and popularity in DAP.


Ramasamy, they say, is history but DAP may not be free from a bitter power struggle.