PPP president M Kayveas has lashed out at sacked supreme council member T Murugiah, accusing him of not respecting the decision of the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

He said the ROS has acknowledged status quo as far as the party presidency is concerned.

kayveas hq pc 050609 "This means I am the legitimate president of the party and the party is intact. There is no such thing as two presidents (as far as) the ROS (is concerned)," he told Malaysiakini .

Yesterday, Murugiah had urged the Kayveas to respect the prime minister's wishes.

Murugiah also claimed that he has the support of 24 PPP divisions in Perak and boasted about having recruited 10,000 new members in the state.

"Kayveas must not jump the gun and announce the PPP candidate to replace me but wait for the outcome of the ROS' final decision on the party," he had said.

"He must also respect the wishes of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who is also waiting for the ROS' decision."

Murugiah was responding to Kayveas' statement that, on Wednesday, the supreme council will choose one of its five vice-presidents to take over Murugiah's post as deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

The vice-presidents are Maglin D'Cruz, Dr KD Siva, Chiew Tiang Chai and the newly-appointed Dr Loga Bala Mohan, who is also Penang PPP chief.

The fifth vice-president will be appointed on Wednesday, along with the rest of the supreme council.

It has been speculated that Maglin may be chosen to replace Murugiah but Kayveas is leaving the decision to the supreme council.

'I have taken control of Perak'

Kayveas also said the ROS can study Murugiah's complaints and "we will provide the replies when and as required by the registrar".

murugiah pc roadshow 300509 letters He was appeared amused with Murugiah's claim of having enrolled thousands of new members.

"The original party application forms with serial numbers are in the headquarters and we issue membership cards from there. We have yet to receive the thousands of applications as claimed," he said.

"He has been sacked from the party and yet he is using photocopies of application forms without serial numbers for which the ROS can take action against him."

As for Murugiah's announcement today that a new corporate-type uniform will be introduced, Kayveas said: "As far as we are concerned, the ROS only recognises our party dress code."

On the 24 divisions in Perak purportedly backing Murugiah, he said: "I have taken control of Perak as state chief from Saturday and as far as I know all 59 divisions are supporting me and not him."