S. Manikavasagam

Not to be confused with V. Manickavasagam.
Manikavasagam Sundram
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Kapar, Selangor
In office
2008–2013
Preceded by Komala Devi M Perumal (MIC – BN)
Succeeded by G Manivannan Gowindasamy (PKR)
Personal details
Born 27 June 1965
Selangor, Malaysia
Political party People's Justice Party (PKR)
Occupation Politician

Manikavasagam Sundram (born 27 June 1965[1]) was the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Kapar constituency in Selangor from 2008 to 2013, as a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR) in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition.

Manikavasagam was elected to Parliament in the 2008 election, winning the seat of Kapar, previously held by the Barisan Nasional coalition.[2] Before his election, Manikavasagam was a prominent leader in the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF).[3][4]

In December 2008, Manikavasagam announced he would leave PKR, citing disappointment with the party's leadership in Selangor.[5] He eventually resigned from a leadership position within PKR, but not from the party itself.[6]

In June 2009, an arrest warrant was issued for Manikavasagam after he allegedly refused to respond to a subpoena to testify at an inquest into the death of an actress.[7] Manikavasagam applied to have the warrant set aside,[8] and eventually testified at the inquest.[9] Less than two weeks later, he was arrested over an unrelated public demonstration.[10]

PKR did not renominate Manikavasagam for his Kapar parliamentary seat in the 2013 election. He contested the Selangor State Legislative Assembly seat of Bukit Melawati instead, losing to a United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) candidate. In 2014 he was suspended from PKR for making allegations of "money politics" against the Selangor Chief Minister Khalid Ibrahim. After the lifting of his suspension, he challenged Khalid for the leadership for the Selangor division of PKR, and won, part of a series of events culminating in Khalid's downfall as Chief Minister later in the year.[11][12][13]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia: P109 Kapar, Selangor[2]
Year Opposition Votes Pct Barisan Nasional Votes Pct
2008 S. Manikavasagam (PKR) 48,196 55% Komala Devi M Perumal (MIC) 35,899 41%

References

  1. ↑ "YB Manikavasagam". S. Manikavasagam: official blog. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Malaysia Decides 2008". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  3. ↑ "Malaysian police break up ethnic Indian rally". MSNBC. 16 February 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  4. ↑ Zappei, Julia (16 February 2008). "Malaysian Police Break Up Indian Rally". Fox News. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  5. ↑ "Manikavasagam holds off on quit decision (updated)". The Star. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  6. ↑ Goh, Lisa (1 January 2009). "Kapar MP quits party post". The Star. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  7. ↑ "Arrest warrant issued against Kapar MP Manikavasagam". The Sun (Malaysia). 23 June 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  8. ↑ Goh, Lisa (24 June 2009). "Manikavasagam applies to set aside arrest order (Update)". The Star. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  9. ↑ Hamdan, Nurbaiti (9 July 2009). "Kapar MP: Vell Paari behaved as if he lost his wife at Sujata’s funeral". The Star. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  10. ↑ Rajendra, Edward (17 July 2009). "Seven arrested outside MACC office, all later released (Update)". The Star. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  11. ↑ "Khalid defeated in PKR division polls". The Rakyat Post. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  12. ↑ Syed Jaymal Zahiid (15 April 2013). "PKR names three new faces for Selangor contest". The Malaysian Insider. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  13. ↑ Jamilah Kamarudin (16 May 2014). "Suspended PKR member begs party to allow him to take on Khalid in polls". The Malaysian Insider. Retrieved 17 October 2014.