The fight to control the People's Progressive Party (PPP) is far from over as far as T Murugiah is concerned, as he intends to appeal against the Registrar of Societies (ROS) decision which preferred his rival and sitting president M Kayveas as the legitimate party leader.

Though party-less as he has been sacked, and the sacking upheld by the ROS, Murugiah is still deputy minister in the prime minister's department and he intends to continue his duties, which includes heading the powerful Public Complaints Bureau.

murugiah pc roadshow 300509 letters "It is business as usual. I will serve the public and continue my turun padang (meet the grassroots) concept," said Murugiah, who since his appointment as deputy minister last June has carved a name for himself as a people-friendly government official.

On Wednesday, the ROS announced investigation results which stated that Murugiah's election as party president through an emergency general meeting on May 24 was null and void.

The ROS also endorsed the sacking of Murugiah and six of his supporters by the PPP disciplinary committee on May 16.

Speaking to Malaysiakini , Murugiah ruled out forming a new party or joining another party as he is still hopeful of returning to PPP in the event his appeal is upheld.

"I love the party. It is multiracial. We have so many supporters with the same sentiments. These members say we can patch up with the party, but they don't want that leader," said Murugiah, in reference to long serving PPP president Kayveas.

"My followers don't mind being out of party rather than be under him. They ask me, 15-years as president and eight years as deputy minister, they didn't get any good things from him," added Murugiah.

‘Brutus within party'

As he is now unable to use PPP as a platform, Murugiah said he and his supporters will stand under the "Barisan Nasional supporter's platform" until further notice.

Asked if he was confident he could keep his post as deputy minister, Murugiah replied: "It is the prerogative of the prime minister. Let him decide".

Meanwhile, the Kayveas-camp is now tasting a bitter-sweet victory. The party has 30 days to respond to a showcause letter by the ROS on why the party should not be de-registered.

The ROS findings into complaints by Murugiah's supporters, among others, stated that PPP has not tabled its accounts at its annual general meetings between 2003 and 2007.

kayveas ppp pc 120308 sullen Contacted today, Kayveas said the party had made some administrative mistakes but insisted that it was not fatal and could be easily rectified.

"What saddens us is that Murugiah used to sit in the party supreme council, knew we made administrative mistakes, but was not sincere enough to tell us to resolve it.

"Instead, they kept it like a trump card and he drew his sword at the last minute to split the party. This act of Brutus within the party disappointed a lot of the members," he said.

(Brutus is a Roman leader who led the plot to assassinate the republic's leader Julius Ceaser).

Kayveas said the party had yet to receive the showcause letter from ROS, but was very confident that his lawyers, party secretary-general and treasurer could clear the air.

"The Societies Act 1966 is always on my table," said Kayveas, a non-practising lawyer and former deputy-minister in the prime minister's department in charge of legal affairs.