Board members fire back at DAP national chairman
GEORGE TOWN: DAP national chairman Karpal Singh has been slammed over his recent announcement that the party will drop four members of the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB).
“Karpal does not know what the board is about,” said Datuk Dr K. Anbalakan, one of the commissioners appointed by Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy, and who has been shown the door.
“I am not even a DAP member. I was appointed because of what I can contribute.
“On what basis is he asking me to bed ropped? Is it because I’m in dr ramasamy’s good books?” asked Dr Anbalakan, who also chairs the special state committee on Tamil schools.
The Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer was named, together with board members K. Mangaleswary, S. Gunalan and E. Jothi, as those who would be dropped “as soon as possible” from the board.
The PHEB looks after the management of several temples in the state as well as a cemetery, and is also responsible for running the annual Thaipusam celebration in Penang.
The issue reportedly stemmed from a fallout between Karpal and Dr Ramasamy, who is also the DAP deputy secretary-general and PHEB chairman.
Dr Anbalakan said he had been on the board since 2010, adding that under Dr Ramasamy’s leadership, it had helped to meet the educational needs of poor Indian children.
Gunalan, who is a Seberang Prai municipal councillor and a journalist with Tamil daily Makkal Osai, said Karpal was not aware that he had been “an active and loyal DAP member”.
“I was appointed to the board because of my loyalty but Karpal does not even know me.
“Leaders who simply attack party members without due regard to their contributions is the root of DAP’S problems,” he said.
Jothi said it would be “work as usual for him” as he works full time with the board as its assistant secretary.
“I don’t know why Karpal named me as I’m not an appointed commissioner,” he said. Asked if he would resign, Jothi said: “No.” Mangaleswary, the Juru DAP branch chairman and state Wanita DAP vice-chairman, could not be reached for comments.
She is also a member of the Appeals Board and legal adviser to the office of DCM II.
A board spokesman said the issue of “sacking and dropping” should not arise as the commissioners’ terms would end on March 31.