KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — With two presidents, two sets of supreme council members and possibly two upcoming AGMs in the PPP, Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak is caught in a dilemma.
Should he attend the PPP Team A congress held under longtime president Datuk M. Kayveas on Sunday June 7 or a similar function being planned by upstart president Datuk T. Murugiah who is heading the Team B in the party?
Another alternative, PPP insiders said, is for Najib to steer clear of both factions in the hope that they resolve their dispute over time.
Najib, who is making an all important official visit to China and will be back in time for the PPP congress, is very keen on the “hands off” strategy.
He has asked his deputy Tan Sri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to talk and negotiate with both factions to find a solution before Sunday (five days time).
“The worry is that by attending and officiating on Sunday Najib would be virtually endorsing the faction led by Kayveas,” said a PPP leader in the Team B faction.
“We don’t want this to happen because Kayveas is unfit, both legally and morally, to lead the PPP when he was not properly elected,” the leader said, adding that the Murugiah faction had met Muhyiddin to explain that endorsing Kayveas would spark a grassroots rebellion in the PPP against the BN.
“We told Muhyiddin that while some PPP leaders were behind Kayveas the bulk of the grassroots have fled to Murugiah,” he said adding that the Kayveas faction is like a “head without a body.”
“The body has fled to Murugiah,” he said adding Umno and other BN leaders are aware of the situation. “The issue can only be resolved if Kayveas steps aside gracefully and let the more popular Murugiah lead the party.”
“After all Kayveas has been heading the party for 15 years,” the leader said, drawing parallels with the MIC which is led by the ageing Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu who has been president since 1979.
That’s exactly what top BN leaders hope for — a smooth leadership transition in PPP (as well as in MIC) that would see Kayveas, who has been president since 1993 and was re-elected last week to the post for another five-year term, stepping aside for Murugiah.
The problem is that the law is in the way because Murugiah’s EGM and election as president is considered invalid by lawyers involved in the issue as well as the Registrar of Societies.
“No proper notices were given, no nominations were held nor a proper election held,” said a lawyer allied with Kayveas. “The registrar (Registrar of Societies) has already informed us that Kayveas remains the legal president of the party.”
“The law is solid and backs Kayveas as the true president,” the lawyer said adding that if the law is followed the Registrar has no choice but to hold all the moves and “decisions” by Team B as illegal and invalid.
Najib has asked Muhyiddin to find a solution acceptable to all factions so that he can participate in Sunday’s congress without rancour from any side.
Muhyiddin has said a decision (on which faction for the BN to stand by) would be made after consulting the Registrar and how he rules on the validity of Murugiah’s EGM and his claim to be “rightful” president of the PPP.
“If the Registrar follows the book Kayveas remains the president and Murugiah stands expelled,” the lawyer said while urging all factions to close ranks and find a political solution.
“Only a political solution is viable under the circumstances,” the lawyer said adding that Kayveas is willing to consider a political solution.
Kayveas, his supporters said, is willing to rescind the expulsion of Murugiah and six others and allow them to return to PPP but on condition they recognise Kayveas as the valid president.
But the Murugiah faction, sources said, will only agree if Kayveas agrees to hand over the party mid-way into his new five-year term as president.
PPP sources said Kayveas has point blank refused to even consider such a possibility.
“Why should he...he was just re-elected legally for another five year term...why should he handover to a upstart nobody,’ said a Kayveas supporter.
All this gives Najib a giant headache — to attend or avoid Sunday’s congress.
One solution would be for Najib to send Muhyiddin, to placate both factions temporarily but that would not end the feud.
No comments:
Post a Comment