Kayveas: It’s not a proper election

(NST) KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk M. Kayveas has dismissed as "a bunch of jokers" a group of People's Progressive Party members who sacked him as party president.

The dissident members of the PPP also elected former supreme council member Senator Datuk T. Murugiah as party president.

Chiding the dissidents' action as "a cartoon show" and an attempt by Murugiah to become an "Idi Amin in his own territory", Kayveas said the gathering was illegal and had no connection to PPP.

He said the police permit obtained for the gathering was taken under the pretext of a meeting between the people and Murugiah, who is a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department

"Ninety-nine per cent of those who attended were non-members. How can you vote for an expelled member?"

Kayveas said he had lodged three police reports since Friday. "These people even used my name, saying I was going to give a speech there.

"You need a proper election to vote, not create a crowd and call it an extraordinary general meeting."

Federal Territory and Johor PPP chiefs too criticised Murugiah over his "appointment".

A. Chandrakumanan, the PPP chief here, said Murugiah used his government post to get Indians and party members to attend his gathering.

"He took out newspaper advertisements in the Tamil papers, inviting people to attend a gathering. He then turned it into a so-called extraordinary general meeting," he said.

Johor PPP chief Dr K. D. Siva laughed at Murugiah's election as president.

"All 600 of us (Johor PPP delegates) are here, so how can he be elected?"

The Johor PPP held its annual general meeting yesterday.