By Neville Spykerman
SHAH ALAM, Nov 13 — The Selangor state assembly today nominated Dr Syed Husin Ali (picture) and Ramakrishnan Suppiah to serve as senators for the next three years.
Syed Husin’s nomination was made by Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and seconded by PAS Selangor executive councillor, Datuk Hasan Ali.
Meanwhile, Ramakrishnan was nominated by senior executive councillor Teresa Kok and seconded by her colleague, Yaakob Sapari.
However, sources today said Ramakrishnan, a Chartered Institute of Management Accountant (ACMA) lecture at Metropolitan college, was nominated as the “trade-candidate” because of “palace interference”.
Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader, V. Ganabathirau, was initially proposed but this was rejected because he was not Selangor-born.
This has been rejected as an excuse because Ganabathirau has been residing in Selangor for the past 18 years and place of birth was never a factor in the appointment of previous senators, who have come from other states.
One source also pointed out that both Syed Husin and Ramakrisnan were not born in Selangor.
“This is blatant royal interference, in a strictly state legislative matter,” said a source.
Ganabathirau’s sacrifices for the community must be recognised and as an eloquent lawyer, he is well qualified to sit in the senate as the voice of the people, he said.
They also believe Ganabathirau was rejected because he was among five Hindraf leaders detained under the Internal Security Act by the Government for taking to the streets to protest against the marginalisation of the Indian community in 2007.
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