Replace ethnic Indian minister, says Malaysian party
By IANSMonday, February 15, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia’s Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) has urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to replace ethnic Indian deputy minister T. Murugiah in the next cabinet reshuffle.
PPP chief M. Kayveas says he had “fruitful discussion” with Najib on the issue.
Kayveas said a reshuffle was expected as Najib, who took office in April last year, would complete a year in office and might affect a reshuffle dropping members on the basis of “key performance indicators”.
Murugiah is a deputy minister in the prime minister’s office and is the PPP’s sole minister under a ‘quota’ for the constituents of the Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition.
He was sacked from the party last year after he fell out with Kayveas and challenged him.
Murugiah has claimed that his sacking was unlawful.
However, in a show of strength at a party meet, a majority supported Kayveas.
The Registrar of Societies recognises only Kayveas as the PPP chief. Murugiah, who has been under pressure to quit, says he is a minister as per the sole discretion of the prime minister.
Kayveas Sunday said the prime minister had agreed to “look into our request. We are waiting”, the New Straits Times reported.
He claimed that many PPP members who had quit his side to join Murugiah had since returned to his fold.
