DAP’s Gift to UMNO/BN for GE13: The Karpal-Ramasamy Feud

 

 

It all started with Ramasamy supposedly announcing the names of possible Indian DAP candidates for GE13 at an Indian event and which was reported in a Tamil newspaper. Someone or some people who read this news informed DAP chairman Karpal Singh on this matter. Karpal, without verification or clarification, warned about the need to control “warlords” in DAP. Ramasamy, without thinking about the consequences and party protocol, responded by calling for “godfathers” in DAP to also be controlled. 

 

Seri Delima assemblyman Rayer and Bagan Dalam assemblyman Tanasekaran immediately came to Karpal’s defense and demanded an apology from Ramasamy for supposedly referring to Karpal as a “godfather”. (Would Rayar and Tanasekaran have openly attacked Ramasamy if their names had been included in Ramasamy’s reported list?)

 

Indian groups supporting Ramasamy joined the fray to worsen matters. Karpal’s supporters continued their attack on Ramasamy to further increase the tension. The UMNO-controlled media has been having a field day reporting and, where possible, twisting facts.

 

UMNO and its partners, particularly the MIC, is delighted at what has been happening in the DAP. Even Dr. Mahathir joined in and added to the confusion by asking Ramasamy to apologize to Karpal Singh. (That is certainly a surprise. Is Dr. Mahathir a supporter of Karpal Singh?)

 

The Rakyat, in particular DAP and Pakatan supporters, are confused and are wondering whether DAP is also like UMNO and BN, where individuals matter more than the party and the people.

In the latest development, Ramasamy has declared that some DAP grassroot leaders were plotting against him for not responding to their overtures for projects and favours. Karpal was quick to see the implication of this statement and challenged him to report to the police as well as the MACC if he has evidence of those he had alleged were involved in making the demands to him. Karpal further noted that Ramasamy has “failed in his duty as the deputy chief minister by not reporting them to the relevant authorities.” 

If Ramasamy does make such a report, who will be the loser? DAP and Pakatan, of course. UMNO will have a lethal weapon to whack them.

 

Up till now, UMNO and corruption have been synonymous. DAP and other Pakatan members have been working hard to bring this matter to the attention of the voters. The police and MACC would love to receive a report from Ramasamy, even if not true, to investigate.

 

The Malaysian media (Utusan, Star, NST, RTM, TV3, etc.) would have the headlines made out for the next few months before GE13. UMNO cyber-troopers will be in full force to whack DAP and Pakatan, this time on the basis of some facts. It will become a major issue in GE13, and DAP and Pakatan will have to say “Goodbye” to Penang and even other states. Ramasamy will no longer be DCM II or even ADUN. Karpal Singh’s son, Jagdeep, can forget any future DCM II plans or even remaining as ADUN. Even Karpal’s Wakil Rakyat position will be in doubt. As for Rayar and Tanasekaran, they may not even make it into the list of GE 13 candidates, given that their major asset is patronage and not people’s support. Why, even Lim Guan Eng and Lim Kit Siang could lose their seats. Which decent citizen will want to vote out a corrupt UMNO/BN and replace it with a “corrupt” DAP/Pakatan?

The damage which could be inflicted by the report, if made, will finally make everyone realize that the Karpal-Ramasamy feud has been just a trivial matter which has been blown out of proportion because of ego and internal politics.

 

It should have been checked at the early stage itself. It is still not too late. Karpal, a seasoned politician and chairman of DAP, should have realized the consequences of such a report before asking Ramasamy to report to the police or MACC. He, as chairman, should have called for an internal inquiry and questioned Ramasamy. We hope that Ramasamy will “fail in his duties as deputy chief minister” and not make the report that Karpal is demanding, as the consequences will be uncontrollable and become a lethal weapon which can be deployed in the most unscrupulous and dirty manner by UMNO and BN in GE13. The report, if made, would be a gift from DAP to UMNO/BN to be used for GE13. 

Appeal to Ramasamy: Let Karpal win this round and put an end to this matter. By losing this round and ending this feud, you will be making a significant contribution to the real WIN that matters – A Pakatan Rakyat Government in Putrajaya after GE13.