Karpal Singh Now Facing Calls to Quit From Inside PKR
The knives have come out for Karpal Singh… from within the Opposition.
Following his criticism last week of the DAP disciplinary committee that exonerated his bête noire P Ramasamy, Karpal has himself become the target of a concerted attack from within the Indian community.
A group of furious PKR Indian members demanded that the DAP national chairman quit because he had become a “liability”.
At an emotionally charged press conference at Petaling Jaya, PKR member K Saminathan claimed Karpal was a liability to the DAP and the Opposition.
“Because of his vengeance towards (DAP deputy secretary-general) P Ramasamy, Karpal is indirectly bringing down DAP and Pakatan.
“He may be a ‘King’ to the Sikh community, but not to the Indian community,” Saminathan, no doubt referring to the Bollywood hit film ‘Singh is King’ (2008).
This comment perhaps revealed Saminathan’s own chauvinist mindset, as he tried to drive a wedge within the Indian population, between the larger Hindu community and the much smaller Sikh community.
He alleged that Karpal had overlooked the woes of the Indian community over the past 40 years. With allies like this at PKR, the DAP clearly does not need any political opponents.
Saminathan also declared that a nationwide road show would be organised to pressure Karpal to step down.
The ongoing rivalry between Karpal and Ramasamy has paralysed the DAP and threatened the party’s credibility at a time when it is struggling to convince voters.
What is particularly striking about this latest escalation was that PKR members were demanding Karpal’s resignation. What is DAP’s ally doing, interfering in the party’s internal affairs?
Or perhaps Ramasamy had no one else to turn to, to attack Karpal after his comments last week.
Karpal had criticised the DAP committee for finding that Ramasamy, who is also Penang deputy chief minister, had not breached party discipline. Ramasamy had been accused of masterminding a demonstration against Karpal last December.
The messy feud between the two DAP leaders is getting murkier and murkier, and threatens to tear apart the Indian camp within the Opposition. No wonder observers are shaking their heads in amazement at DAP’s self-destructive streak.
In another escalation, Malaysian Tamil Students’ Development Organisation representative A Kalaimugilan branded two Penang DAP assemblymen – A Thanasekaran and RSN Rayer – as “traitors” to the Indian community. Their only misdeed was being aligned with Karpal.
Where is this war of words going to end? With insults like ‘Godfather’, ‘Traitor’ and ‘Warlord’ having run their course, these ‘loyal’ party apparatchiks could soon be at each other’s throats, leaving the Opposition’s claim of a stable, selfless political movement in tatters.
Even Malaysiakini is featuring anti-Karpal comments these days under headlines such as “Karpal’s bile belittles the party” or “Karpal, public outbursts will make voters think twice.” That says it all.
