Latest news with #RamasamyPalanisamy
Focus Malaysia
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Ramasamy's Urimai in war of words with MIPP over who fights for Indian rights, 'who seeks backroom deals'?
Editor's Note: A verbal exchnge has erupted between two Indian-based parties – the Malaysian Indian People's Party (MIPP) and the United Rights of Malaysian Party's (Urimai) – after the latter's Selangor chief K. Gunasekaran accused Perikatan Nasional (PN) of failing to draw 'real Indian leaders' with grassroots support. Gunasekaran has further pointed out that Indian voters have yet to rally behind the opposition coalition despite growing disenchantment with the Madani administration. Such statement has prompted MIPP deputy president S. Subramaniam hit back at Urimai leaders by describing the latter's chairman Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy as an 'opportunist' with no real credibility among the Indian community. WE TAKE note of the remarks by Malaysian Indian People's Party (MIPP) deputy president S. Subramaniam who questioned the United Rights of Malaysian Party's (Urimai) registration status. Let the record be clear. Urimai is fighting for its constitutional right in the courts – not sneaking through the backdoor –by hijacking another party's name and structure. On the contrary, MIPP was not born from public mandate or grassroots struggle. It emerged quietly without transparency through a technical backroom takeover. If MIPP wants to talk about legitimacy, let them first reveal their actual membership. Beyond Subramaniam, its president S. P. Punithan and information chief Suthan Mookaiah, who else is with them? By contrast, Urimai has already formed active state coordinating committees in eight states. We are building our base openly through the people – not through deals and shortcuts. Let us also look at how these political actors left their former parties. Our interim council chairman Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy resigned from DAP when he was the party's Penang deputy chairman. He walked away from a strong position and from the prospect of GLC (government-linked company) appointments and honorary titles. He did it to build a genuine struggle for the Malaysian Indian community. However, MIPP's leaders left MIC not because of any principle but because they could not secure positions in the party. MIC itself has been rejected by the community. If MIPP believes that MIC's cast-offs can suddenly win back Indian support, they are fooling themselves. MIPP is not a new beginning. It is simply a Trojan horse within Perikatan Nasional (PN) with no organic support or moral compass. MIPP can try to mislead PN leadership about its reach and support. But the Indian community knows who these people truly are. No amount of repackaging will hide the truth. On the other hand, Urimai is here to build real political representation, social justice and reform. We are not here for favours. We are here to fight for the future of our people. – July 31, 2025 David Marshel is the United Rights of Malaysian Party's (Urimai) deputy chairman. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia
Malaysiakini
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Urimai's political fortune tied to Ramasamy's court battle
COMMENT | Former DAP stalwart Ramasamy Palanisamy seems to think that his impending court case will be a shot in the arm for Urimai, his fledgling political party he founded in November 2023. The professor is a very angry man ever since he left DAP in somewhat of a huff after he was dropped as a candidate in the six-state election in August 2023. Since then he has been consistently training his fire on his former party and those in power on a wide range of issues, especially those that concern the Indian community. He formed Urimai ostensibly to fight for the cause of the community that he believed had been receiving a raw deal from the powers that be. The former Penang deputy chief minister is pinning all his hopes on Urimai, not only to relieve the plight of this small ethnic group but also to boost his political career. Then comes this "blessing in disguise" in the form of a court case in which he is charged with...
