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Free Malaysia Today
7 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Joining united front not the same as signing up with PN, says Ramasamy
Urimai chairman P Ramasamy said his party supports Bersatu's call for a united opposition but has no intention of becoming part of PN. PETALING JAYA : Joining a united opposition front comprising various parties outside the ruling bloc is not the same as entering a formal coalition like Perikatan Nasional (PN), Urimai chairman P Ramasamy said following the views of two political analysts on the matter. Ramasamy said it was misleading to suggest that political parties like Muda or Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) avoid the initiative solely due to the perception that it is an extension of PN. In a statement, he said such a view 'conflates two very different political realities'. He gave the example of his party, which he said supports Bersatu's call for a united opposition but has no intention of becoming part of PN. 'There is a fundamental misunderstanding in equating participation in the united front with formal membership in Bersatu, PAS, or the PN coalition. 'This distinction is critical. Supporting a broader political platform to challenge the government does not imply ideological alignment with all parties involved.' Earlier today, two political analysts told FMT that Muda risked eroding its modest support base by aligning with Bersatu on its proposed united opposition front. Universiti Sains Malaysia's Azmil Tayeb said joining the pact would tarnish Muda's image as a moderate party, while Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said the party could lose its core supporters. Bersatu agreed last week that its president Muhyiddin Yassin would spearhead efforts to build a united opposition front in preparation for the 16th general election. Subsequently, on July 18, the former prime minister met with the heads of various parties opposed to the government, including Muda, PSM, Pejuang, Putra, the Malaysian Advancement Party, and Urimai. Ramasamy said equating the united opposition front with a formal coalition 'oversimplified' the political landscape and unfairly discredited efforts to build a more inclusive opposition. 'Analysts and detractors alike would do well to acknowledge this complexity rather than indulge in lazy political shorthand,' he added.
Malaysiakini
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Ramasamy quotes Shakespeare amid horoscopic 'Turun Anwar' warning
Amid a horoscope warning urging Indians not to turn up for the 'Turun Anwar' rally slated on July 26, Urimai chairperson P Ramasamy quotes William Shakespeare to remind the community of the power of determining one's own fate. 'To invoke some Hindu mythological mumbo jumbo to prevent the participation of Indians in the July 26 rally for Anwar to step down is a mischievous thing to do.
Free Malaysia Today
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Urimai backs Bersatu's proposal for a United Opposition Front
Urimai chairman P Ramasamy had attended a meeting with PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday, along with leaders of parties outside the government bloc. PETALING JAYA : Urimai has expressed his support for Bersatu's proposal for a United Opposition Front, comprising political parties outside the government bloc, to champion national interests. Urimai chairman P Ramasamy said such a bloc could serve to consolidate the strength of the opposition, especially among Chinese and Indian voters, in anticipation of a more profound electoral shift in the next general election. 'While the Chinese and Indian communities may currently be cautious about fully backing the opposition, PN must take the initiative to engage with them meaningfully. 'It is only through mutual effort that both the non-Malay communities and PN can find common ground to overcome the Pakatan Harapan-led coalition,' he said in a statement. Ramasamy's statement comes after a meeting held by PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin with leaders of several parties outside the government bloc yesterday evening. Besides Ramasamy, others who attended included Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir, acting Muda president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz, Putra president Ibrahim Ali, Parti Sosialis Malaysia deputy chairman S Arutchelvan and Malaysian Advancement Party president P Waytha Moorthy. At the meeting, Ramasamy said Muhyiddin gathered diverse views on how to enhance the opposition's appeal, particularly among the non-Malays. 'There was a collective recognition that both Bersatu and PAS need to adopt a more inclusive approach in strengthening ties with these communities,' he said. 'It was generally agreed that while the Indian community showed increasing receptiveness toward PN, the Chinese community remained hesitant, although disillusionment with the DAP appears to be growing.' PSM's Arutchelvan said although they welcomed the proposal, no decision had been made by the party to join the proposed grouping. 'Any decision for PSM to join a new coalition can only be made by the party's congress, in line with its commitment to the principle of democratic centralism,' he said in a statement. FMT earlier quoted analyst Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara as saying that the small parties and groups Bersatu is seeking to ally with are not significant enough to attract more votes to help the opposition topple the government. Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman's Chin Yee Mun said non-Malays and non-Muslim voters would need more convincing to back the proposal. United Opposition Front may still work Ramasamy, in a separate statement, said whether the United Opposition Front succeeds or not will depend on a multitude of factors. He said under present circumstances, PN is clearly weaker than the PH-led coalition. 'However, political and social conditions are not static — they evolve, often rapidly. 'Politics is about a range of future possibilities. As one statesman remarked on the eve of a great revolution, the future belongs to the weak who comprise the majority. 'The timely formation of a unified front to bring both Malays and non-Malays under one political umbrella is a critical development in filling the existing lacuna.'
Free Malaysia Today
18-07-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Ramasamy drops defamation suit against Chow over land sale
P Ramasamy initiated defamation proceedings against Chow Kon Yeow on July 18 last year over a Facebook post which he claimed seriously harmed his reputation. GEORGE TOWN : Former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy has withdrawn his defamation Former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy has withdrawn his defamation suit against chief minister Chow Kon Yeow over the disputed Batu Kawan land deal. In a consent judgment recorded before sessions judge Helmi Ghani, Ramasamy agreed to accept Chow's explanation that he had chaired two key Penang Development Corporation (PDC) meetings: a sub-committee meeting on Nov 28, 2022, and a board meeting on Feb 9, 2023. Both meetings dealt with the sale of 226ha of land in Byram, Batu Kawan, to Umech Land Sdn Bhd. Ramasamy agreed to drop the lawsuit without liberty to file afresh. Shamsher Singh Thind represented Ramasamy, while Ruebankumar Asokan appeared for Chow. Separately, PDC also withdrew its defamation suit against Ramasamy. As part of the settlement, he agreed to retract statements made about the agency and to end both suits permanently, with no order as to costs. Ramasamy initiated defamation proceedings against Chow on July 18 last year over a statement published on the latter's official Facebook page on Oct 3, 2023, which allegedly accused Ramasamy of being involved in approving the land deal and damaged his reputation. The Batu Kawan land deal involving a 226ha plot, initially sold through a directly negotiated tender, became the subject of controversy due to claims that it was sold below the market value. PDC initially sold the land to Umech Land for RM646 million. Following the controversy and a change in Umech Land's majority ownership, PDC cancelled the joint venture agreement and opened the sale of the land through an open tender.
Free Malaysia Today
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
MACC's offer to Teoh's family an insult, says Ramasamy
Urimai chairman P Ramasamy said the MACC chief should maintain his silence if he could not genuinely assist by identifying the parties responsible for Teoh Beng Hock's death. PETALING JAYA : Urimai chairman P Ramasamy this evening branded the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's offer of financial assistance to the family of the late Teoh Beng Hock as an insult. Ramasamy said Teoh's family was seeking closure, namely the identification and prosecution of those behind the death of the former aide to a Selangor assemblyman. 'The last thing the family needs is financial aid,' he said in a Facebook post. He said if MACC chief Azam Baki could not genuinely assist by identifying the responsible parties, he should maintain his silence. Azam should not think that the provision of funds would bring this tragedy to a close, he said. Earlier today, MACC offered to give a goodwill contribution to Teoh's family as a 'gesture of compassion'. Azam said the latest investigation found insufficient evidence to charge anyone in Teoh's death, but maintained that MACC took a serious view of the incident. He also apologised to the family for the pain and suffering they had endured over the years. Teoh died on July 16, 2009 at the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam after being questioned for hours by MACC at its Selangor office in the same building. An inquest into his death was held and the coroner returned an open verdict. However, the Court of Appeal in 2014 ruled that Teoh's death was caused by 'one or more persons unknown', including MACC officers. In 2019, police launched an investigation under Section 342 of the Penal Code for wrongful confinement. Before 2018, two special investigation teams were set up – one in 2011 and the other in 2015 – to look into Teoh's death, but the outcome of both investigations were classified as 'no further action' by the public prosecutor. In 2015, Putrajaya paid RM600,000 to Teoh's family, as well as RM60,000 in legal costs, as part of a settlement over a civil suit filed by the family. The family had named the government and 12 others in the suit for negligence over his death.
