Ramasamy blames The Star for latest row with Karpal
(The Malaysian Insider) – Deputy Penang Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy blamed The Star today for his protracted row with DAP chairman Karpal Singh, and denied he ever accused DAP grassroots leaders of being corrupt as was reported by the newspaper.
“I categorically reject the allegations… The allegations against me that appeared… are baseless and frivolous,” Ramasamy told reporters today at a press conference here.
“I have never made these statements against DAP leaders and the reporter himself felt that injustice has been done to me.”
On December 23, The Star reported Ramasamy as hitting out at his critics for their “grand design” to oust him.
The newspaper said his remarks came despite the party’s stand that the “godfather-warlord” feud between Ramasamy and Karpal had been resolved on December 15.
Ramasamy claimed his critics were plotting against him because he did not respond to their overtures for projects and favours, The Star had reported.
This had resulted in Karpal demanding that the Penang deputy chief minister II resign from his post for making allegations against party leaders.
Karpal said 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.
Today, Ramasamy denied making the allegations that were reported in The Star.
“He (the reporter) promised to put a retraction or counter-statement on the same day on the publication’s online version. However, (the next day) the statement was reduced to one sentence in the article ‘Prof Changes His Tune Again’,” Ramasamy said.
“On the same day, DAP chairman Karpal Singh called a press conference to ask for my resignation as the DCM of Penang,” he added.
