Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy will issue a letter of demand against an online news portal and its journalist over an article which allegedly defamed him.

His lawyer RSN Rayer said that the notices are being drafted and will be served on Free Malaysia Today and its reporter Athi Shanker over the Dec 22 article titled 'DCM II under probe for alleged cronyism'.

kampung buah pala penang p ramasamy meeting 120609 04 Ramasamy ( left ) is seeking an explanation over the article as well as a retraction and an apology.

The news portal had reported DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh as saying that allegations raised by three individuals against Ramasamy were “serious enough” to warrant investigations against Ramasamy.

Rayer said that he was with Karpal when reporters asked him about the trio’s allegations and the latter merely replied: “We will look into the matter”.

According to the article, the three - S Deventhiran, M Mahendran and T Manogaran - have sent letters to DAP’s top leadership alleging that Ramasamy’s cronies have been awarded many state contracts.

These contracts were said to have involved the computer supplies and development of Tamil schools, the Penang Water Supply Corporation and the Penang Hindu Endowment Board tenders.

The letter reportedly included a list of names of at least 16 people who were said to be Ramasamy’s cronies, including two of his aides.

Did they approach MACC?

Rayer said that the accusation was slanderous, malicious and baseless. He also questioned why the three did not lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

NONE “My question is why are they not doing it... (Is it) because they know if they make false claims, they can be charged with making false allegations?” said Rayer, who is also the Seri Delime state assemblyperson, during a press conference today.

Rayer ( right ) also claimed that the trio were not even DAP members as claimed. He said that Mahendran was once a member of the Taman Bagan branch in Butterworth but it was dissolved in 2000.

On Deventhiran and Manogaran, Rayer said that they were never members of the party and that their purported branches did not even exist.

“We have conducted our own internal investigation... Not being members of the DAP, these people are airing their grievances at the wrong forum.

“As a party, we can investigate if complaints are made to the party but these three are not members... So I repeat if they have strong proof, they are free to go to the MACC,” he said.

Conspiracy against Ramasamy

Rayer also accused the trio of being part of a bigger conspiracy to undermine Ramasamy in view of possible snap polls.

He reasoned that this was because they chose to only air their grievances through one news portal.

“Ramasamy is definitely a target of a Barisan Nasional component party, which has started its campaign by spreading malicious and baseless rumours,” he said.

Rayer adds that Ramasamy had been performing his role well and this has made him a target for his political rivals.

Citing the example of the Hindu Endowment Fund, Rayer said that RM114,00 had been disbursed to 35 students from the Indian community.

“This was the first time the money has been paid out since the fund came into existence, it never happened during BN’s rule,” he said.

“The money benefitted even children of MIC members, so does that show nepotism and cronyism? This shows we have an open policy.”