Ramasamy denies claiming DAP leaders corrupt
(The Sun Daily) – Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy yesterday denied that he had ever accused DAP leaders as corrupted as reported by an English newspaper on Friday.
The Star in its report quoted Ramasamy as hitting out against his critics for their “grand design” to oust him. The report also stated that Ramasamy claimed his critics were plotting against him because he did not respond to their overtures for projects and favours.
“I categorically reject the baseless allegations against me stating that DAP leaders are involved in corruption.
“I also never mentioned anything to the effect that there was a grand design to oust me from Penang,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Explaining further, Ramasamy said he telephoned the reporter and expressed his regrets about the article.
“He promised to put a retraction on the same day on the publication’s online version,” he added.
However, before the retraction was published, Ramasamy said DAP Chairman Karpal Singh had already called for his resignation as the Penang Deputy Chief Minister.
Ramasamy said the article was published after he met reporters on Dec 21. He insisted that he only touched on issues relating to the state development.
“The source of the present controversy stems from a discussion I had with two journalists on Dec 21.
“The discussion was about how Penang could go forward with a particular attention paid to the Indian community. There were questions and answers about the contextual situation,” said Ramasamy, adding that he did not make any comment on internal party matters.
“I’m not saying the reporter doctored it…I’m just clarifying that I did not say those words. My discussion was not about party internal matters, but how Penang could move forward. The last thing I want to speak about is party internal matters,”he said.
Ramasamy recalled that some questions were asked about the party but 99% was about how to bring Penang forward.
He, however, refused to comment on Karpal’s call for his resignation, stating he will leave it to the party to handle it.
Meanwhile, in GEORGE TOWN, on Sunday, Seri Delima DAP assemblyman RSN Rayer hit out against Ramasamy for allegedly tarnishing the party’s image.
“By making such statements, he is giving the impression to the public that DAP is no different from other (political) parties out there, which are corrupted,” claimed Rayer, who is also the Penang DAPSY vice chairman and legal adviser.
He also said that if there was any malpractice or corruption within the party, the matter should have been reported to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and make available the evidence to the allegations.
Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow, who is currently in China, issued a press statement, appealing to its party members to remain calm in the spat between Karpal and Ramasamy.
“This is to allow the party Central Executive Committee’s three-man panel to continue to mediate and find a solution to resolving their spat,” he said.
