Ramasamy must go, says Karpal

(The Star) – The spat between DAP chairman Karpal Singh and Dr P. Ramasamy has reignited with the veteran leader demanding that the Penang Deputy Chief Minister II resign from his post for making allegations against party leaders.

Karpal said Dr Ramasamy’s position was no longer tenable in the state government because he had defied a directive from the party’s three-member committee not to talk about their spat to the press.

“He has made baseless allegations against party leaders and his statement amounts to attempted corruption,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.

Karpal referred to a report in The Star on Friday quoting Dr Ramasamy as saying that his critics were plotting against him because he did not respond to their overtures for projects and favours.

“Till now, he has not denied making the statements.

“If the allegations are true, I challenge him to lodge a report to the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission,” he said.

Karpal said the matter was now beyond the “godfather-warlord” squabble and has gone to “a dangerous level”.

“The ball is now in his court to react to my statement,” he added.

Dr Ramasamy had earlier hit out at his critics for their “grand design” to oust him.

He said the people would be astounded if he revealed what some grassroots leaders had demanded from him.

On Dec 15, the committee comprising party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, life advisor Dr Chen Man Hin and parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said the dispute between the two leaders had been resolved.

Dr Ramasamy, when contacted yesterday, declined to comment.

Last night, Kit Siang tweeted that DAP leaders should resolve their differences using party channels, and not fall into the trap of the mainstream media.

Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow called on party members to remain calm over the spat.

“This is to allow the party’s central executive committee to continue in the mediation and find a solution to resolve the matter,” he said in a statement.