As allies see red over Ramasamy’s civil service reform remarks, DAP sec-gen says will deal with it internally

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke today sought to assuage a political firestorm against the party’s senior Penang member P. Ramasamy who stirred a hornet’s nest with his recent remarks about reforming the civil service.

Loke thanked the party’s political allies for their views on action to be taken against Ramasamy, but said DAP has its own ways to deal with such matters, news portal Malaysiakini reported.

“Whatever views are made by our friends, I thank them. But DAP has our own ways of dealing with our internal issues,” he was quoted as telling reporters at the party’s federal headquarters here.

Penang PKR Youth information chief Abshar Nurasyra and Amanah MP for Hulu Langat Mohd Sany Hamzan are among the DAP allies in Pakatan Harapan who have called for Ramasamy’s sacking.

Bersatu vice-president Datuk Radzi Jidin has accused Ramasamy of issuing a “racist” statement against the Malays and claimed it reflected on the DAP.

Loke was also reported telling delegates at the KL DAP convention today that they must change their mindset to that befitting a ruling party.

“Today, we can no longer act as an Opposition party because we are a government party. We are the ruling party not only at the federal level, but also in many states.

“The role of the government is to solve problems, not only to raise problems.

“To me, if there is any leader who creates polemics in our society, especially having understood the country's political environment, they are being counterproductive,” he was quoted as saying.

It was not clear if he was alluding to anyone in particular in his speech during the convention.

Ramasamy, who is Penang DAP deputy and the state deputy chief minister, is currently under fire from fellow members of the ruling coalition government and the Opposition for seeking urgent reform to the “ossified civil service” he posted on Facebook two days ago.

He urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to address the racial imbalance in the civil service, saying that calls for reforms had been raised by other state government leaders and even former senior civil servants.

In an emailed statement today, Ramasamy defended his Facebook statement on civil service reform, adding that it was his personal view and not reflective of his party’s stand.

“Calling for action against me is not going to hide the elephant in the room. In this case, the truth about the civil service seems unpalatable to those who want to reinforce the existing status quo in the civil service.

“My proposal for reforms was in the spirit of bringing about meaningful changes to the practice of governance. That is all,” he said.