KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 – PKR confirmed today that its newly-appointed vice-president N. Surendran is a party member despite MP N. Gobalakrishnan’s claim that he was not one.
Party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution told The Malaysian Insider today that he had directed his staff to check with the party’s membership listing and discovered that Surendran (picture) was presently a registered member with the Lembah Pantai division.
“Gobalakrishnan’s accusation is not true. Surendran is a party member,” he said when contacted.
He added that the Padang Serai MP should have consulted him first before going public with his allegations.
“I do not understand why. He could have referred to me and I can check for him. It is just a matter of a click on the mouse and we can trace back the membership list.
“But making a public statement as if he knows the truth... that is inappropriate,” he said.
In a surprising move earlier this month, the party leadership appointed Surendran as a vice-president, along with former MCA president Datuk Chua Jui Meng and Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian.
Gobalakrishnan, who failed in his bid for vice-president during the party’s recent elections, was not selected to fill the post.
He later complained that Surendran’s appointment was unconstitutional as the lawyer was not a party member.
When contacted today, Surendran insisted that he had been a PKR member since 2002.
“I was first listed in the Kepong division but now, after I changed my address, I am under the Lembah Pantai division. I even have a membership number,” he said.
The prominent civil rights lawyer added that Gobalakrishnan’s accusations against him were “baseless” and a “non-issue” as they were untrue.
He also claimed that the party could appoint anyone – even a non-member – as a vice-president.
“I am not bothered by what he said because it is absolutely untrue. So it is totally a point of no basis. I have also told him to cease all his allegations,” he said.
Surendran also questioned if Gobalakrishnan’s latest onslaught of criticisms against the party’s top leadership was the MP’s way of provoking a sacking.
“Perhaps it is true that he is trying to force the party’s hand to take action against him so he wants to do as much damage as he can,” he said.
He added that it was likely that the rebel MP was planning to leave PKR.
“But I think there is no point in being too concerned over his attacks. PKR’s record is clear. We know what we stand for and what we are fighting for and we will continue to do so,” he said.
Surendran added that Gobalakrishnan was merely “ranting” instead of leading an intelligent attack against the party leadership.
“We cannot make much of it because they are more of rants. He is just ranting against our leaders and we are not interested to respond against his rants.
“The public can see that there is no basis... if there is a concrete issue, we will respond. Otherwise, it is pointless,” he said.
Gobalakrishnan recently embarked on a spree to attack PKR’s leaders, especially its de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and deputy president Azmin Ali.
Using microblogging site Twitter as his platform, the outspoken MP continuously accused Anwar of sidelining party loyalists to promote Azmin, said to be his right-hand man in the party.
He however told The Malaysian Insider today that he had no plans to leave PKR but was merely concerned with the party’s direction.
He claimed that both Anwar and Azmin have been “cheating and bluffing the Indians”, adding that the community was treated better by the Barisan Nasional when the ruling coalition helmed Selangor.
Saifuddin said that the party’s political bureau would likely discuss Gobalakrishnan’s attacks during its next political bureau meeting to decide if the leader should be reprimanded.
