Latest news with #WaythaMoorthy
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Waytha's bid to disqualify Anwar as PM ‘baseless', says PKR man
PKR's R Sivarasa said P Waytha Moorthy should ask why Anwar Ibrahim's opponents for the Tambun seat had not raised the issue during the campaign. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : PKR's R Sivarasa has labelled as baseless the argument by a former federal minister that Anwar Ibrahim should not have been elected as the Tambun MP and appointed as prime minister. Lawyer P Waytha Moorthy is seeking to disqualify Anwar on grounds that the royal pardon granted to the PKR president in 2018 did not state that he was exempt from the five-year disqualification period for contesting an election after being released from prison. Waytha, a minister in Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Cabinet from 2018 to 2020, wants the High Court to declare Anwar's election as Tambun MP on Nov 19, 2022 and his appointment as prime minister five days later null and void. Sivarasa said such reasoning showed an inability to appreciate the proper meaning of Article 48 of the Federal Constitution, which outlines the conditions under which an MP can be disqualified. He said it was a public fact that in 2018, Anwar received a full and free pardon from the king at the time, who was of the view that the conviction was a miscarriage of justice. He said the inclusion of the words 'and who has not received a free pardon' in Article 48 made clear that in receiving a free pardon, the issue of a prior conviction as a disqualifying factor did not arise. 'It is a trite principle in law, which unfortunately Waytha Moorthy does not also appear to be able to appreciate, that the effect of a full and free pardon is to wipe away Anwar's conviction completely. 'It is as if the conviction and sentence never occurred at all,' Sivarasa, who heads PKR's legal bureau, said in a statement last night. He said Waytha should instead ask why Anwar's opponents for the Tambun seat had not raised the issue during the campaign. Nor was the issue raised when Anwar was appointed as prime minister on Nov 25, 2022. 'One wonders also why he took two and three quarter years to suddenly wake up one morning having dreamed up this fatuous point. Is this case really more about trying to stay politically relevant in any possible way?' DAP's Syahredzan Johan had also questioned whether the suit filed by Waytha against Anwar was linked to Waytha's recent meeting with Bersatu leaders. The Bangi MP said that while anyone had the right to file court proceedings, the suit against Anwar appeared 'frivolous and vexatious' as the latter had been prime minister for close to three years. Waytha, president of the Malaysian Advancement Party, was among the leaders from political parties outside the government bloc who met Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to discuss the formation of a united opposition front.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Is Waytha's suit against Anwar linked to Bersatu meeting, asks Syahredzan
Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has questioned the timing of Malaysian Advancement Party president P Waytha Moorthy's suit against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. PETALING JAYA : Pakatan Harapan (PH) MP Syahredzan Johan has questioned whether a suit filed by lawyer P Waytha Moorthy against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is linked to Waytha's recent meeting with Bersatu leaders. Earlier today, FMT reported that Waytha had filed a suit seeking a declaration that Anwar should not have been elected as Tambun MP in November 2022 and appointed prime minister. In a Facebook post, Bangi MP Syahredzan said that while anyone has the right to file court proceedings, he felt the suit against Anwar was 'frivolous and vexatious' as the latter has been prime minister for close to three years. He also noted that Waytha had even previously hailed Anwar, the Pakatan Harapan chairman, as the best man to head the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra). 'Is this not acknowledgement that Anwar is legally the prime minister? 'Anwar has been the Tambun MP for 996 days. (But) Waytha only wants to disqualify Anwar (now)? 'Is it a coincidence that Waytha met Bersatu leaders last month, and today we are told about this suit against Anwar?' said Syahredzan. Malaysian Advancement Party president Waytha was among the leaders from political parties outside the government bloc who met Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to discuss the formation of a united opposition front. In his Facebook post, Syahredzan also pointed out that Waytha, who was a minister in Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Cabinet from 2018 to 2020, did not object when Anwar contested and won a 2018 by-election for the Port Dickson parliamentary seat. 'Waytha did not have a problem with it at the time,' added Syahredzan, who is a lawyer by training. 'He did not file any suit to disqualify Anwar then, even until Parliament was dissolved in 2022.'
Focus Malaysia
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Ramasamy defends Bersatu, takes a jibe at Puad Zarkashi's fear of UMNO losing grounds among Malays
UMNO supreme council member Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi may soon earn the image of a politician who cannot differentiate between outright lies and facts. In his recent Facebook posting, he ridiculed Bersatu for calling a meeting of political parties not aligned with the government in an attempt to forge a united opposition front against the Madani government. He not only mocked Bersatu for inviting leaders of what he termed 'mosquito' political parties but also questioned the participation of Urimai's chairman Prof Ramasamy Palanisami, a former DAP member and former Penang deputy chief minister II, and P. Waytha Moorthy, the president of MAP (Malaysian Advancement Party) and a former HINDRAF (Hindu Action Front) leader. In his usual characteristic UMNO fashion, Puad falsely claimed that PAS did not participate in the gathering because the party opposed these Indian-based political parties due to their support for ICERD (International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racism) – an issue PAS has historically rejected. The Johor state assembly speaker fails miserably to realise that Urimai is not yet a registered political party and was only formed two years ago. Come November 2025, Urimai – or the United Rights of the Malaysian Party – will mark its two-year anniversary. Urimai was refused registration likely due to its vocal stance as part of the opposition front. As for MAP's supposed support of ICERD, this is a matter best clarified by its president Waytha Moorthy. Fear of UMNO losing ground Puad may be a gung-ho UMNO leader but he conveniently ignores his own party's questionable alliance with DAP – a party once considered UMNO's sworn political enemy. The allure of political power and positions has pushed leaders like Puad to overlook past hostilities, embracing instead what is now a marriage of convenience with DAP. Rather than commenting on PAS's absence from Bersatu's recent meeting, wouldn't it be wiser for Puad to justify UMNO's alliance with DAP – a partnership still widely opposed by the party's Malay grassroots? If PAS is truly against Urimai and MAP, then why did the party previously participate in the 'Secretariat for the Defence of the Judiciary' alongside leaders Ramasamy and Waytha Moorthy? Puad's sudden interest in Bersatu's united front initiative signals a growing fear that UMNO is steadily losing ground among the Malays. UMNO's obsession with the royal addendum enabling house arrest for incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak only reflects the party's internal dilemma. Puad, acting as UMNO's unofficial loudspeaker, is merely trying to project political relevance amid rising discontent with the party among Malay voters. The house arrest arrangement for Najib may provide UMNO with temporary leverage but it does little to resolve its credibility crisis. In the meantime, Puad would do well to refrain from relying on lies and half-truths in his attempts to re-establish UMNO's political standing. – July 22, 2025 Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image credit: Malay Mail
New Straits Times
19-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Question of 'striking a balance' raised in opposition leaders' meet
KUALA LUMPUR: Leaders of opposition parties who met Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin were open to the former prime minister's idea of a united front. This was revealed by Malaysian Advancement Party president P. Waytha Moorthy, who represented his party at the meeting. "The discussion went well. Everyone seemed to agree that we need a united front to speak out on issues affecting the people," Waytha Moorthy told the New Straits Times. The former minister said during the meeting, concerns were raised about striking a balance between Bersatu, Pas, and other Malay parties' political concerns and the unique needs of non-Malay parties. "So we spoke about the need for further discussions on this initiative. How can we bring this forward and so on?" Waytha Moorthy said that top Pas leaders could not attend the gathering as they had other party meetings to attend. He also said the leaders shared the view that Chinese and Indian votes were critical in swinging some 60 seats to the opposition. Meanwhile, PSM deputy chairman S. Arutchelvan said PSM welcomed the meeting, during which he expressed the party's views and position. "However, we have not made any decision to join PN or any new coalition," he said in a Facebook post. Arutchelvan said PSM only had a political understanding with Muda and Parti Rakyat Malaysia. "Any decision to join a political coalition can only be made by the PSM Congress." Earlier, Muhyiddin shared that he met opposition party leaders on establishing a united front, with those attending responding positively. Among those present were opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, Gerakan president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau, Malaysian Indian People's Party president P. Punithan, Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, and Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia president Datuk Dr Ibrahim Ali. Also present were Muda acting president Amira Aisya, Malaysian People's Progressive Party Youth chief S. Sathiah, United Rights of Malaysian Party president Professor Dr P. Ramasamy, and Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia president Zamani Ibrahim.
