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By A. LETCHUMANAN
KUALA LUMPUR: Business-man Datuk S. Nallakaruppan feels he has been “betrayed” and wants to quit Parti Keadilan Rakyat, heeding the calls of his Indian supporters from all over the country.
Nallakaruppan, 61, said he had given the matter much thought before making the decision to break ranks with his confidante, PKR adviser and former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Nallakaruppan, who joined PKR last August at Anwar's invitation, felt that he had been betrayed by false promises from the party leadership.
“I was informed that I was going to contest in the Ijok by-election last month but at the last moment, they decided to give it to Selangor PKR chief Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. I took it in my stride.
“Now, they asked me to withdraw from the vice-president's contest,” he said.
Khalid lost to Barisan Nasional's K. Parthiban in the Ijok by-election on April 28.
Nallakaruppan, who was asked to boost support for PKR among the Indian community, said he was disappointed when Anwar directed him to withdraw from the contest for the vice-presidency despite getting the second highest number of nominations.
“I expressed my disappointment to Anwar and also told him that I felt betrayed by a friend of 30 years. I put it to him nicely and did not slam the phone as some reports said.
“I will still remain in politics but I will announce my plans at a press conference on Friday,” he said yesterday.
It is believed that Nallakaruppan has held talks with several opposition parties.
Federal Territory PKR deputy chairman S. Maniselvan said there had been numerous calls from Indian members expressing their disgust with the way Nallakaruppan was treated.
“We had been given so much hope that Nallakaruppan would contest and become an elected vice-president. But the top leaders had other intentions. It is not worth being in PKR where there is no justice,” he said.
Maniselvan, together with Selangor PKR deputy chief P. Krishnasamy, Lembah Pantai deputy head Mohd Sidek Mohd Ibrahim and Jempol division vice-chief R. Madhavan have also withdrawn from the contest for supreme council posts to show their support for Nallakaruppan.
Krishnasamy, who has been the Klang division chairman for eight years, said Nallakaruppan’s withdrawal had caused dissatisfaction among the Indian members in PKR.
