Rebel MP challenges Surendran to prove membership
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Rebel PKR MP N. Gobalakrishnan ignored his party leadership’s pleas for a ceasefire, choosing instead today to challenge new vice-president N. Surendran to show proof of his membership.
Responding to Surendran’s claim yesterday that his recent attacks were merely “rants”, Gobalakrishnan demanded that the newly appointed vice-president furnished proof that he had voted in the party’s recent polls by producing three witnesses.
Padang Serai MP also sarcastically suggested that PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim could likely manipulate the party’s electoral roll to back Surendran.
“I know there are means to slot his name or any name in the voters list if Anwar wishes to do so,” he said.
The Padang Serai MP claimed that Surendran had never voted in any PKR division or attended any divisional meetings during the party elections last month.
“It makes me wonder how Mr Surendran was appointed when he was not even a member of the party. I question his integrity when he speaks about the PKR election.
“His name doesn’t appear in the voters list of the Lembah Pantai cabang (division) where he claims to be a member or any other cabang in the country.
“Can he show proof of where he voted or at least produce three witnesses who have seen him voting or at least attending the divisional meetings?,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan’s statement today is in clear contradiction of his party leadership’s stand on the matter.
Yesterday, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution confirmed with The Malaysian Insider that Surendran was a registered member with the PKR Lembah Pantai division.
The division is led by Lembah Pantai MP and newly-elected vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, who is also Anwar’s daughter.
On Twitter yesterday, Anwar responded to the issue by defending the party’s surprising decision to appoint Surendran into a vice-president’s post by calling the civil rights lawyer “qualified” and “credible”.
Surendran has also responded to Gobalakrishnan’s claims by accusing the outspoken lawmaker of “ranting”, adding that he did not view the attacks as a cause for concern.
But Gobalakrishnan ignored the leaders today and continued to accuse Anwar of practicing favouritism in the party and of ignoring the concerns of the Indian community.
“My statements are not vague, baseless or unproductive. I do not have any personal agenda or gain in all that I do.
“I have made many sacrifices in my crusade to improve the lives of Malaysians. I always strive for justice for all especially the downtrodden Indian community,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan spoke again on the closure of the Sivan Temple on Bukit Gasing, which he claimed had been Anwar’s doing, and the plight of workers in the Coalfield Estate in Sungai Buloh.
