(The Star) KLANG: Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan (pic) may be planning to resign as state assemblyman so his wife S. Pushpaneela can officially take over in order to better serve the constituency.
Party insiders here have been talking about the possibility but not all support the idea.
“The DAP will respect whatever decision Manoharan makes, but not everyone will agree to the seat automatically going to Pushpaneela,” said a party insider who is also a leader here.
Asked if she would stand in Kota Alam Shah if her husband resigned, Pushpaneela said: “I leave it to the people of Kota Alam Shah to decide whether they want me or not.”
However, she insisted that her priority was to fight for Manoha-ran’s release from the Internal Security Act (ISA) detention in Kamunting. He is the legal adviser of the banned Hindu Rights Action Force.
“I want him to be able to personally serve the people who voted for him. He applied for leave to attend the State Assembly sessions but was turned down and this disappointed him,” said Pushpaneela.
In his absence, Pushpaneela has been serving the constituency and managing his service centre.
Manoharan said recently that he would make a decision after meeting party chairman Karpal Singh on May 19.
Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said on Sunday that it would be good if Manoharan stayed on as voters had chosen him despite knowing full well that he was being detained under the ISA.
Karpal, in press reports, had said that he would try to dissuade Mano-haran from stepping down.
A party insider said a series of signature campaigns would be initiated in Kota Alam Shah seeking Mano-haran’s release from detention.
The signatures would be presented to the Law Reform Committee which will be meeting soon to review the ISA, he added.
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