Decision To Sack Him A Cowardly Act, Says Murugiah

BENTONG, May 17 (Bernama) -- Senator Datuk T. Murugiah today described the People's Progressive Party's (PPP) decision to sack him and six other party members as a cowardly act by party president, Datuk M. Kayveas.

For one, Murugiah said the decision made by the party's disciplinary board yesterday had denied the party members the right to decide on the party leadership.

"To me, I'm not expelled and still a PPP (supreme council) member. Yesterday's meeting was illegal. They (disciplinary board members) were not elected by the party, they are Kayveas' cronies.

"If he dares, ask him to call for an election. Don't be a coward. I dare him to face me," he told reporters after opening a seminar on small business, agro-business and franchise, here, today.

He also described his sacking as Kayveas' dictatorial act which had not only tarnished the party's image, but would also cause problems to Barisan Nasional (BN), which should not happen especially in the current political situation faced by BN.

Hence, Murugiah urged BN to temporarily suspend Kayveas from its Supreme Council meeting until the domestic issues in PPP had been resolved.

The two-hour meeting attended by 39 PPP disciplinary board members yesterday made the decision on the ground that Murugiah had used his Deputy Minister's office in the Prime Minister's Department to hold a press conference which tarnished the good name of the party and making defamatory remarks against the party, its Supreme Council and party leadership.

The board also said that Murugiah had threatened the party's lawyer and a supreme council member that he would use all his power to get PPP deregistered.

Murugiah said he would personally go to the Registrar of Society tomorrow to seek verification on the status of the party.

"The party's financial statement had never been tabled at the party's annual general assembly. There must be something wrong," he said.

On the allegation that he was involved in money politics, Murugiah said the allegation was baseless.

He said he was only a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of the Public Complaints Bureau, Public Service Commission and Education Commission and so did not have the money to give away nor the power to give projects to anyone.

Asked whether he was being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Murugiah said: "They (MACC) did come to my office recently, but only to check on a few documents, nothing else."

Meanwhile, Murugiah also said that he was contacted by an important individual in MIC inviting him to join the party.

"I thank MIC for seeing me as a potential leader," he said, adding that he had not decided on the matter.